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5 New Features and Changes Rumored for the 2023 HomePod
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Probably too much info and data to cram into the chip for that to operate smoothly,
and apple figures that we can always stream BBC or other media to the homepad via our devices.
So far my original HomePod recognises and responds to Siri requests far more reliably than the HomePod minis I placed in other parts of my apartment.
We have two HomePod Minis and they're nice paired in stereo. The biggest flaw isn't the hardware though, it's Siri. It's slow and unreliable. Asking Siri to turn on the lights is slower than just grabbing an iPhone and doing it from the control centre.
im still on the fence about getting a second HomePod mini,
is the sound more full with 2?
and what color do you have?
would getting 2 blue ones be a good idea?
thanks very much, sorry If I asked too many ?s
The colour matters only to you
We have a white and a black one, because we initially had them in separate places and it made them easier to identify.The sound is better with 2 for sure. We use them instead of a soundbar on our Apple TV. The audio quality isn't as good as a soundbar, but our cats were using the soundbar as a scratching post and they seem to ignore the HomePods...
"it was priced at $349, a higher price point than competing smart speakers". why does anyone still make this very incorrect claim? the only competing smart speaker was the google home max which was more expensive and discontinued earlier than the HomePod. Trying to compare the HomePod to a vastly inferior speaker and saying it is more expensive, is just not a smart claim. Now you could get by with over-specced Hmepod versus the market which seemed to prefer smaller, cheaper and inferior speakers. Ok got that.
That being said. I don't see why the power supply is internal to the HomePod, hope they move it into a brick like th mini. why have all that extra heat exposed to the internals? Makes no sense. (Same goes for the Mac Studio - use a brick Luke! - lame Starwars reference)
That being said. I don't see why the power supply is internal to the HomePod, hope they move it into a brick like th mini. why have all that extra heat exposed to the internals? Makes no sense. (Same goes for the Mac Studio - use a brick Luke! - lame Starwars reference)
Thanks I replaced my Bose sound touch 2 with 1 HomePod miniThe colour matters only to you
The sound is better with 2 for sure. We use them instead of a soundbar on our Apple TV. The audio quality isn't as good as a soundbar, but our cats were using the soundbar as a scratching post and they seem to ignore the HomePods...
hopefully will know which is which!
im going to purchase another one now,
thanks you as well!
I have the original HomePod, and I'm struggling to understand what it struggles with exactly with its lowly A8 processor.
- Siri works (better than Alexa - for me anyway).
- Audio is perfect. I've had the odd disconnect, but I get that with AirPod Pro's too.
- Stereo pairing is non-problematic.
Dedicated speakers will always sound best (when paired with a good amp), however for what HomePod's are, they are phenomenal.
I spent about $450 on two HomePod's and while it doesn't come close to my HiFi in my lounge, it destroys the crummy Amazon devices I had before.
Moreover, I don't know many places where I could get two good neutral speakers and a decent amp with both wireless connectivity, pairing with my TV, laptop and phone and an audio assistant for $450.
Even a pair of active speakers will knock you back about $400 minimum (Klipsch R-41PM), and you only have BT and nothing else. That doesn't quite match the functionality of the HomePod (or even an Echo device).
The price was fine since people are used to a little Apple premium and the sound quality made up for it. The main problem back then was a lack of an ecosystem of accessories that supported HomeKit. The price was high and choice was limited since Apple used to require special hardware for security. It’s gotten a lot better these days with that requirement gone, but still a lot of the devices are still only for Alexa and Google home.
$249 for one (at most), or $399 for two.
These things really come into their own when in a pair.
These things really come into their own when in a pair.
I love my HomePod honestly. It sounds great, Siri and the mic array mostly work perfectly and it’s incredibly stable - I don’t think I’ve ever - ever - had music stutter or have other types of playback issues.
I’d definitely be in the market for a new model as long as the sound quality is at least equal. I can’t imagine it would become worse tbh. But if it does, that would be a deal breaker for me.
I also have a mini which is nice but it’s really only a smart home controlling device - the sound is bad enough that I never use it for music. The mics are also noticeably less sensitive than the big HomePod, quite often you need to repeat yourself on the mini.
I’d definitely be in the market for a new model as long as the sound quality is at least equal. I can’t imagine it would become worse tbh. But if it does, that would be a deal breaker for me.
I also have a mini which is nice but it’s really only a smart home controlling device - the sound is bad enough that I never use it for music. The mics are also noticeably less sensitive than the big HomePod, quite often you need to repeat yourself on the mini.
I use my full-size HomePods every single day. It was "Hallelujah" time when I first listened to them. I gave away my fiddly prosumer stereo and immersed myself into HomePod/Apple Music. It was joyous not to have a wall of expensive audio equipment. I realized I spent half of my music listening time to tweaking the audio equipment and not enjoying the music! HomePods fill my home with music and with excellent audio quality. (HomePod Mini, to my ears, is junk)
I tried the HomePod Mini with the expectation that I could dedicate it to my Apple TV device. It would always default back to Apple Music or sniff around for ANYTHING but the Apple TV. I returned it within days. One is much better off with a sound bar that can also play iTunes via AirPlay or Blutooth via an iPhone. At least then you can ensure it defaults to you Apple TV sound signal.
This came up in many conversations, but I never found that to be an issue...in fact, I found the sound to be beautifully balanced. I don't like insane bass, so I guess this is personal.
I have two original HomePods that I use in Stereo mode - they are great, and there is nothing in that lineup of "improvements" that would trigger me to go out and buy new ones.
