Launch Markets so limited (3 countries only), what do journalists and analysts expect?
Well I am sure there is a lot of pent up demand in Antigua, Barbados, Iceland and Qatar that will make those numbers jump.
The speaker is a flop like Apple Music where Apple has been able to convert almost a Billion iTunes accounts to well under 1/10th that many to the rental model after years of giving away trials to anybody with a pulse.
That speaker is grossly overpriced. I already have an excellent Focal system in my Living Room and allI have to do is connect an Amazon Dot as an input for more features and far higher sound quality. It won’t cost a King’s Ransom, either.
That speaker is a flop. When it goes stupid out of warranty repairs start at $275. I am sure a lot of people will spend $275 to fix a speaker that costs $350 before discounts. That is kind of like the iPhone X that costs $1000 but only gets you a little over $400 on Gazelle. Or a $5000 iMac. Someone at Apple needs to give the people in the bubble of Silicon Valley a wake up call.
How is Apple Music a flop? Because it hasn't converted one billion ios users? If that's the case, Spotify is a flop because it didn't convert all the combined Apple and Android users.
Sorry, I value my privacy so Amazon and Google are out.
The Sammy 9 on Gazelle gets you $100 less but is less than two months old. Besides who would Gazelle an X now?
Not surprised at all. It's a nice piece of hardware, with a REALLY lousy voice assistant, and Apple chose to keep out 3rd party streaming like Spotify, which IMHO was a HUGE mistake. That omission alone is hindering sales, probably significantly.
You can't expect people to pay top dollar for this thing just because it sounds good - with Siri being so lacking, and so many people preferring Spotify as their streamer of choice, this thing was bound to stumble.
Didn’t we see an article where most spotify users are using the free service, not paid? Somehow I don’t think folks that won’t spend $10 a month on music will buy a $350 HomePod. Even if Apple did add spotify, all the Apple naysayers would just find something else to complain about.
Not surprised at all. It's a nice piece of hardware, with a REALLY lousy voice assistant, and Apple chose to keep out 3rd party streaming like Spotify, which IMHO was a HUGE mistake. That omission alone is hindering sales, probably significantly.
You can't expect people to pay top dollar for this thing just because it sounds good - with Siri being so lacking, and so many people preferring Spotify as their streamer of choice, this thing was bound to stumble.
Didn’t we see an article where most spotify users are using the free service, not paid? Somehow I don’t think folks that won’t spend $10 a month on music will buy a $350 HomePod. Even if Apple did add spotify, all the Apple naysayers would just find something else to complain about.
2) It's not rational to assume that people that don't want to pay for a specific streaming music service wouldn't want to pay a low price for HW to play music. The HomePod isn't considered expensive unless you specifically talk about a single speaker unit.
3) I've seen no evidence that Apple is choosing "to keep out 3rd party streaming like Spotify," as the OP suggests. It's not there, but it's not like the rest of the firmware is fully baked and that's some glaring omission. I'd say that Spotify, Sirius, and countless other services that would help sell the HomePod aren't there because they don't have a coherent system at this point for making it part of the HomePod and Siri.
Not surprised at all. It's a nice piece of hardware, with a REALLY lousy voice assistant, and Apple chose to keep out 3rd party streaming like Spotify, which IMHO was a HUGE mistake. That omission alone is hindering sales, probably significantly.
You can't expect people to pay top dollar for this thing just because it sounds good - with Siri being so lacking, and so many people preferring Spotify as their streamer of choice, this thing was bound to stumble.
Didn’t we see an article where most spotify users are using the free service, not paid? Somehow I don’t think folks that won’t spend $10 a month on music will buy a $350 HomePod. Even if Apple did add spotify, all the Apple naysayers would just find something else to complain about.
Here we go again. Unrealistic expectations and a complete misunderstanding of what the HomePod really is. It is a phenomenal music player and Siri does get most you ask. Does it need work? Yes. Is it a great music device. Yes. Is building the first iteration for Apple’s ecosystem only a terrible idea? No. There are millions of folks out there who are part of that ecosystem (myself included) and absloutely love my Home Pod. As i always say, if you don’t like the product, dont buy it. If you want a cheap Amazon Echo or Google home assistant this us pobably not the right product for you. But if you want superior sound and a voice activated assistant that works pretty well, buy it. Just like the warch, Apple will improve what it needs and the HomePod will be a star. I wonder how many people writing these reviews now own an Apple watch? I wonder how many own the iPhone X? I wonder how many own Airpods? All are are great, innovative devices. Apple products are expensive, but you get what you pay for.
Launch Markets so limited (3 countries only), what do journalists and analysts expect?
Well I am sure there is a lot of pent up demand in Antigua, Barbados, Iceland and Qatar that will make those numbers jump.
The speaker is a flop like Apple Music where Apple has been able to convert almost a Billion iTunes accounts to well under 1/10th that many to the rental model after years of giving away trials to anybody with a pulse.
That speaker is grossly overpriced. I already have an excellent Focal system in my Living Room and allI have to do is connect an Amazon Dot as an input for more features and far higher sound quality. It won’t cost a King’s Ransom, either.
That speaker is a flop. When it goes stupid out of warranty repairs start at $275. I am sure a lot of people will spend $275 to fix a speaker that costs $350 before discounts. That is kind of like the iPhone X that costs $1000 but only gets you a little over $400 on Gazelle. Or a $5000 iMac. Someone at Apple needs to give the people in the bubble of Silicon Valley a wake up call.
Apples target market is not the indigent. A large portion of Apples market is not sensitive to what items cost. That aside, who tries to hock an iPhone X to Gazelle?
Kinda hard to claim Apple Music as a flop since it’s probably the only profitable streaming music service. Add to that it will like over take Spotify (market leader by users) within a year for paid subscriptions and you claim is pretty weak.
I don't have a problem with the price. It is pricey, yes but not out of reach. The problem I have with it is Siri. That's why I don't own it. And making a cheaper version of hardware will not change that.
Lack of the promised stereo collaboration and multi-room capability ala AirPlay2 is a deal breaker. I would also like it to work with AppleTV ala Surround Sound even if it simulates it with only two HomePods. Really could care less about Siri and Apple Music. I would like it to work with Plex and provide wireless quality sound. More interested in competition with Soros than I am about Alexa and Google voice tubes... Not thrilled with the idea of an always listening microphone talking to a cloud service A.I.
So you believe people are holding off buying homepods until Airplay 2 is functional; because they want to buy multiple Homepods right away to take advantage of the stereo and multi room capabilities? Interesting....
Can't speak for majority of the consumers. I am one of them waiting for AirPlay 2 with Stereo Pairing, and availability in local market. That Bluetooth Mesh with HomePod ability to run as HomeKit Hub will change the landscape of my home automation (partial z-wave, smaller PoC HomeKit).
Not surprised at all. It's a nice piece of hardware, with a REALLY lousy voice assistant, and Apple chose to keep out 3rd party streaming like Spotify, which IMHO was a HUGE mistake. That omission alone is hindering sales, probably significantly.
You can't expect people to pay top dollar for this thing just because it sounds good - with Siri being so lacking, and so many people preferring Spotify as their streamer of choice, this thing was bound to stumble.
Pardon me. I think with all new products and features, Apple usually keep 3rd parties out in the first one to two years before the API is ready and open up to 3rd parties. Look at Siri when it was launched. Look at CarPlay when it was launched. Look at Touch ID when it was launched. Just to name a few. Slow for API to be ready and open up does not mean it is not going to open up.
Apple didn't release as a new product they are marketing -- like, say, the Apple Watch.
Rather, Apple simply didn't want to concede the intelligent home speaker market to Amazon and Google -- so they had to put "something" out. And, that's pretty much what they did.
In other words, the product was pushed out the door before its full potential was realized. I would wait a couple years while Apple fills it out with features that will enhance the home more than a fancy speaker is able to do...
I don't have a problem with the price. It is pricey, yes but not out of reach. The problem I have with it is Siri. That's why I don't own it. And making a cheaper version of hardware will not change that.
Yep I consider the software only about 25% there.
Apple needs multi-user (family) support on iPad, appleTV , computers , and the HomePod along with voice recognition of individuals.
Besides the AirPlay2 Support and Stereo Support it needs to handle better coordination between multiple SIRI devices. If SIRI on the HP can't answer a question it should let the question get answered on a a phone or computer.
And of course SIRI just needs to get a whole lot better.
The HP delays lead me to go to SONOS and I like the 3 units I have now and I really like them. I'll wait till the end of the year to see if Apple is going to make the HomePod the first of multiple wifi based smart speaker and home theater components like sonos, PlayFI, Yamaha MusicCast, or Denon Heos. last thing I want is Apple to go cheaper now. Is this a new product and product line that will continue to get support and grow like iPad and watches or is it a product that will be forgotten and wither on the vine like the 2013 MacPro. Hopefully the former.
Let's assume these numbers are correct. A $200 million dollar market is not a very important one for Apple. They seem to have killed off the AirPort division and, before that, their own line of Cinema Displays, iPods, and lots of other products that would bring in a few hundred million a year, or more, but it all pales in comparison to the iPhone business. The HomePod is a dud. The Apple Watch is a dud. Siri is a mess. Apple Maps is second rate. Apple dropped the ball with Music, and wasted billions on Beats to try to get it back. They lost the Pro market and now they are losing the laptop market. There's no excitement in any of their products anymore. Time for Tim to go. Apple needs some vision again. Yes, they have the iPhone. But that's a fickle mistress. Just ask Nokia, or Blackberry.
Apple will never join a race to the bottom. If anything, they will come out with a Homepod Pro.
Yep. More input options like the standard auxiliary 3.5 and or optical import or HDMI for HT. Add in HiRes Audio too. And finally get some improvements on the software out and I'll buy it even if over $600.
What did they expect? They made a super niche speaker that’s super pricey and not at all portable or really compatible outside of apples ecosystem. Like I’ve never had the urge to buy a Sonos speaker, because I’ve always had an actual home entertainment system at home. And between Siri being half baked and having lots of inadequacies and HomeKit still feels like a beta, it’s not really worth it from a smart speaker perspective either. You basically need an iOS device to use it... which you can literally use for all of the hey Siri commands on their own. So you’re basically limiting it to someone who wants a very limited stationary speaker with good sound quality and who want to pay a premium for it. I can’t think of a single use for a HomePod in my house and I’m sure a lot of others feel exactly the same way.
Nice troll.
If you had bought a HP you should be able to come up with a better retort than "Nice Troll"
These are all valid criticisms. Several of which lead me to get pair of SONOS Ones' and now a PLAY 5 when the HP didn't ship by Christmas. I don't regret not waiting for the HP at all. I have dipped my toe into the SONOS system and really like it . But if Apple finally updates the HP Software and announces this is a start of a full HP system (HomePodPro, HT) then I will happily switch to Apple (especially since Apple has finally hired someone decent to get Siri up to speed)
In the mean time I bought the Series 3 Apple Watch with LTE and love it. If apple dedicates resources to the HP (and hopefully HP system of products) over the next few years they can have a great system and HP's rocky start won't matter in the long term just like the watch software really wasn't there but Apple revamped it to make it much better (You don't hear about Android Wear anymore do you).
Comments
Sorry, I value my privacy so Amazon and Google are out.
The Sammy 9 on Gazelle gets you $100 less but is less than two months old. Besides who would Gazelle an X now?
Hey, it also worked for McDonald's.
2) It's not rational to assume that people that don't want to pay for a specific streaming music service wouldn't want to pay a low price for HW to play music. The HomePod isn't considered expensive unless you specifically talk about a single speaker unit.
3) I've seen no evidence that Apple is choosing "to keep out 3rd party streaming like Spotify," as the OP suggests. It's not there, but it's not like the rest of the firmware is fully baked and that's some glaring omission. I'd say that Spotify, Sirius, and countless other services that would help sell the HomePod aren't there because they don't have a coherent system at this point for making it part of the HomePod and Siri.
Kinda hard to claim Apple Music as a flop since it’s probably the only profitable streaming music service. Add to that it will like over take Spotify (market leader by users) within a year for paid subscriptions and you claim is pretty weak.
Pardon me. I think with all new products and features, Apple usually keep 3rd parties out in the first one to two years before the API is ready and open up to 3rd parties. Look at Siri when it was launched. Look at CarPlay when it was launched. Look at Touch ID when it was launched. Just to name a few. Slow for API to be ready and open up does not mean it is not going to open up.
Even as a stand alone company, I think the HomePod would be rated as a success.
Apple needs multi-user (family) support on iPad, appleTV , computers , and the HomePod along with voice recognition of individuals.
Besides the AirPlay2 Support and Stereo Support it needs to handle better coordination between multiple SIRI devices. If SIRI on the HP can't answer a question it should let the question get answered on a a phone or computer.
And of course SIRI just needs to get a whole lot better.
The HP delays lead me to go to SONOS and I like the 3 units I have now and I really like them. I'll wait till the end of the year to see if Apple is going to make the HomePod the first of multiple wifi based smart speaker and home theater components like sonos, PlayFI, Yamaha MusicCast, or Denon Heos. last thing I want is Apple to go cheaper now. Is this a new product and product line that will continue to get support and grow like iPad and watches or is it a product that will be forgotten and wither on the vine like the 2013 MacPro. Hopefully the former.
.lkrupp said:
If you had bought a HP you should be able to come up with a better retort than "Nice Troll"
These are all valid criticisms. Several of which lead me to get pair of SONOS Ones' and now a PLAY 5 when the HP didn't ship by Christmas. I don't regret not waiting for the HP at all. I have dipped my toe into the SONOS system and really like it . But if Apple finally updates the HP Software and announces this is a start of a full HP system (HomePodPro, HT) then I will happily switch to Apple (especially since Apple has finally hired someone decent to get Siri up to speed)
In the mean time I bought the Series 3 Apple Watch with LTE and love it. If apple dedicates resources to the HP (and hopefully HP system of products) over the next few years they can have a great system and HP's rocky start won't matter in the long term just like the watch software really wasn't there but Apple revamped it to make it much better (You don't hear about Android Wear anymore do you).