PaulieP

Comparing to Echo and saying it doesn't make "real" phone calls is ridiculous. If you're at home and you're calling a US number on your iPhone while on wifi calling, it's just as "real"as a call on Echo to a US number. 

You should also be comparing to Google's calling implementation which now works on the Home series, as well as growing numbers of third party speakers (Insignia first, now JBL).

Google's calling is also real calling, doesn't need any phone at all, and can be tied to Google Voice. And cleaner integration with contacts vs Alexa. HomePod is better at contact calling in time to convo though, to me.

The iPhone integration is a double edged sword for HomePod. Architecturally, a strategic blunder resulting in low sales so I expect that their smart speaker strategy will have some big changes come June.

I think on the calling side it's a drawback as Google's implementation is the most flexible and doesn't need a smartphone. On the taking calls side, I think HomePod is a better experience.

one thing that benefits everyone, in a perverse way, is the competition absolutely eating apples lunch in the smart speaker market (in the smart home for that matter). It will force them to innovate and deliver far more for less money on the next iteration than they normally would in their typical fashion.