Apple CEO Tim Cook: Hardware and Software Integration Will Set HomePod Apart From Competitors

[doelcm82]

I'm not one of those that are hyper-sensitive to privacy issues... but there's a difference between taking reasonable precautions and inviting spying technology into one's home. The primary purpose of these smart speakers is to "spy" on you... always on, listening for the activation phrase.

Your phone is also always on, and always listening for the activation phrase. I suspect that the speaker, like the phone, handles that task locally on the device, so there isn't an army of spies in listening posts waiting for you to say "Hey Siri". So they're also not likely to overhear you say "Come on over. My wife just left. We have 45 minutes."

The surprise party you're planning for your wife is safe from getting spoiled by Siri spilling the beans.

 

[EdT]

It is exactly the point, and Apple's strategy, since the vast majority of users of the Echo and GO use them to listen to music. If it blows them away, there's a strong incentive to pay the extra money and go with Homepod. It's why people buy the expensive BT speaker like Bose, Beats Pill, etc., when there are $20 BT speakers for sale. There is a reason Apple spent so much effort on the quality of sound and equally on enhancing Siri for music. Here's an article from this week about how people are actually using the Echo.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/15/technology/virtual-assistants-alexa.html

Even with fairly cheap components, Google and Amazon are likely losing money on every digital assistant they sell. While Apple will likely expand the home speaker ecosystem beyond the current Homepod, it isn't interested in that low end market any more than they are with the money losing cheap smart phones or cheap tablets. Google and Amazon are fine with producing to the lowest common denominator as long as they can minimize losses and gain by getting your information. Apple, instead, is focused on the user experience to get you to buy a higher quality product with reasonable profit margins and keep you in ecosystem. That's why they specifically targeted Sonos, and by all accounts, exceeded the sound
quality of a comparable Sonos.

Just read Macrumors buying guide—
“Without an Apple Music subscription, HomePod is able to play content that's been purchased from iTunes along with Beats 1 radio content and podcasts. HomePod will only be able to play content that's been directly purchased using iTunes, rather than any music in an iTunes library.”

And that is the reason I will not be buying a HomePod. I decide what music to play and what the source is. Not Apple. Intentionally limiting who I can use as a music source is a guaranteed way of getting me to ignore your product.

 

[lazard]

Just read Macrumors buying guide—
“Without an Apple Music subscription, HomePod is able to play content that's been purchased from iTunes along with Beats 1 radio content and podcasts. HomePod will only be able to play content that's been directly purchased using iTunes, rather than any music in an iTunes library.”

truly for the Apple diehards

 

[neutralguy]

I am always amazed by American's love for music subpar audio quality which made many Apple products successful.
I think that will make Home Pod successful due to Apple's eco system and Siri might not be a deciding factor.

Fixed it for you.

 

[Scrump]

Just read Macrumors buying guide—
“Without an Apple Music subscription, HomePod is able to play content that's been purchased from iTunes along with Beats 1 radio content and podcasts. HomePod will only be able to play content that's been directly purchased using iTunes, rather than any music in an iTunes library.”

And that is the reason I will not be buying a HomePod. I decide what music to play and what the source is. Not Apple. Intentionally limiting who I can use as a music source is a guaranteed way of getting me to ignore your product.

Yep. This could be the catalyst for me to start looking at Sonos speakers for home (when I decide to replace my Bluetooth speaker).

 

[robjulo]

Wow. I’d love to see how that is going to be spun by some of the HomePod zealots in this thread.

Just read Macrumors buying guide—
“Without an Apple Music subscription, HomePod is able to play content that's been purchased from iTunes along with Beats 1 radio content and podcasts. HomePod will only be able to play content that's been directly purchased using iTunes, rather than any music in an iTunes library.”

And that is the reason I will not be buying a HomePod. I decide what music to play and what the source is. Not Apple. Intentionally limiting who I can use as a music source is a guaranteed way of getting me to ignore your product.

 

[Bacillus]

Huh

Well, they complement a conversationally impaired HomePod for an 8% extra investment

 

[bwillwall]

What is that device Cook is looking at? It looks like the tablet is square.

That would be called an iPad.

But seriously, it's called perspective

 

[nt5672]

well, Timmy, what's setting Apple apart right now is how poorly Apple is launching products and announced features.

And how badly they perform and how bug ridden they are at initial release.

 

[tubular]

People like to bring up the Apple Hi-Fi as a "failure", but then conveniently leave out highly successful products like the iPod, Beats headphones, and most recently AirPods. The HomePod is an extension of those same ideas, and is much more of an Apple technology platform than the Hi-Fi was.

The name is the tip off for what Apple considers this to be.

 

[nt5672]

. . . . It's time for a new CEO. One that brings excitement and innovation back to the company. Just watch a Tesla product launch - it reminds me when I use to watch a Steve Jobs keynote.

I would say we could even get by with a CEO that forced the software engineering to get done correctly prior to launch instead of having to do betas every two weeks or release weekly updates to convince people that Apple is working really hard. How about really working hard and getting it right on release. You know so "it just works."
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Is the power port at the bottom, or on the back? Who knows! If they had thought harder, they might have considered having a battery, and building the unit with a glass bottom, so that it could wirelessly be charged. Then a nice table 'coaster' charging pad could have been designed to power/charge it!

My guess is the charging plug is on the bottom so you have to set it on its side to charge, like the Magic Mouse 2.

 

[MiamiC70]

Just read Macrumors buying guide—
“Without an Apple Music subscription, HomePod is able to play content that's been purchased from iTunes along with Beats 1 radio content and podcasts. HomePod will only be able to play content that's been directly purchased using iTunes, rather than any music in an iTunes library.”

And that is the reason I will not be buying a HomePod. I decide what music to play and what the source is. Not Apple. Intentionally limiting who I can use as a music source is a guaranteed way of getting me to ignore your product.

GTFOH, Timmy.

 

[Gameboy70]

Am I the only one that thinks it's crazy to put all these home microphone/camera devices in multiple rooms of your house?!

Some people think it's crazy to walk around with a microphone in your pocket.

 

[LordVic]

So much rhetoric Timmy.

The HomePod will absolutely provide some good deep integration into existing Apple centric ecosystems.

But it, by everything announced, for a smart device, the least integrated overall with existing technologies and features that are out in the world. From smart appliances, shopping, home assistants, etc.


And excellent sounding Siri powered speaker? Absolutely, but not an industry leader in smart speakers with extremely deep integration. Google and amazon have Apple bested here. The question will be, are people willing to spend $350usd for a speaker that is fairly limited by Apples ecosystem

 

[everythingapplerainbow]

but Siri doesn't support voice iMessage, that's the most stupid thing
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Interesting comment with Apple Music streaming at 256kbps whereas Spotify streams at 320Kbps. Neither are full CD quality, but Apple's is bottom of the barrel, hardly the high quality Cook believe music deserves. Then we get into the fact you need two HomePods to faithfully reproduce the stereo sound the artist intended... unless it's a mono recording. (Not that that will be possible when HomePod launches).

that's 256kbps AAC, not MP3, that's what Mr. Apple claimed to be better than 320 MP3
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Siri, and Apple music is the weakest link in this chain. Apple is late to this party and still doesn't get the market. A speaker is PART of the product. The AI assistant is the other and Siri is years behind the competition. Apple needs to play catch up in the Siri department. A good speaker at hundreds of dollars more than the competition won't save this product.

Siri doesn't have your information on the cloud, that's why it's so stupid. But it has all your phone's information and can truly become your personal assistant.

 

[paulkaliciak]

So NO one has pointed out the irony of Tim being in Toronto (Canada) to talk about the Homepod, even though they won't be selling them in Canada any time soon. Like, there isn't even a release date. WTF?

 

[Dave245]

an early review of the Hompod is saying it sounds better than the Google Max

https://9to5mac.com/2018/01/25/homepod-hands-on-superior-sound/

Also it says that the HomePod "has some awareness of whether it's owner is at home and Siri will not speak about calendar notifications, txt messages, reminders and other personal alerts if the user is out of the house" if that's true it's a really cool feature.

 

[The Game 161]

an early review of the Hompod is saying it sounds better than the Google Max

https://9to5mac.com/2018/01/25/homepod-hands-on-superior-sound/

Also it says that the HomePod "has some awareness of whether it's owner is at home and Siri will not speak about calendar notifications, txt messages, reminders and other personal alerts if the user is out of the house" if that's true it's a really cool feature.

That does sound very promising

 

[Abazigal]

It's time for a new CEO. One that brings excitement and innovation back to the company. Just watch a Tesla product launch - it reminds me when I use to watch a Steve Jobs keynote.

And then twiddle our thumbs as Tesla proceeds to miss one production forecast after another?

Elon Musk talks big for sure, but he hasn’t quite been able to walk the talk yet.

It’s one thing to promise you the moon and the stars, it’s another to actually be able to deliver on that promise. Elon Musk might make for a great presenter on stage, and I am not sure I want him running Apple.

 

[Dave245]

That does sound very promising

It sounds good, obviously there are a lot more reviews to start coming out but that awareness feature sounds good, personally i think a lot of people have doomed the HomePod before it's even been given a chance.

 

[Phonephreak]

The Apple product will be far more integrated than the Sonos, I guarantee it. The HomePod experts can tell you how.

hey don't need facts to back up an argument?"

Maybe you should post some facts too. You just guaranteed something that you can’t even explain how.

Kettle meet black

 

[The Game 161]

It sounds good, obviously there are a lot more reviews to start coming out but that awareness feature sounds good, personally i think a lot of people have doomed the HomePod before it's even been given a chance.

Will certainly be ordering it tomorrow

Not sure with Apple or with EE

 

[Dave245]

Will certainly be ordering it tomorrow

Not sure with Apple or with EE

I think i'm going to order from Apple, not sure if in store pick up will be available tho. Also some more information is coming out, apparently the HomePod will support lossless FLAC audio.

https://9to5mac.com/2018/01/24/homepod-flac-support/

 

[ChrisCW11]

How much software do I need to ask a speaker to do something and it does it well? I don't need to have to look at my phone or tablet to use an assistant product.

If Apple is gearing up to make HomePod some kind of tightly integrated accessory to the iPhone or Apple TV, then it fails. I largely don't look at or am even in the same room as my Google Home's, but they respond to my requests when needed and play music or queue up a Netflix show on TV when I ask them. There is a Google Home app on my phone that was used to set up, that I haven't looked at since. Having something in the home that just works without having to hold its hand and guide it to work is the future, not some tight coupling of a graphical UI software with a screenless hardware device.

It might be a novelty to have these kinds of speakers/accessories work with mobile games in some way, but I think its just that, a novelty, I don't see this as a new era of tight hardware and software integration.

If he means "software" as in expanding the capabilities of HomePod over time through "Kits" and "Apps" well both the competition already support skills (or "Apps" in Apple vernacular), and are both rapidly expanding their features set, and have been for up to 2 years prior to the release of the HomePod. There is nothing HomePod is going to do that the competition is not already doing, including working with 3rd parties to expand their capabilities and feature set routinely.

Apple has a LOT of catching up to do, and unless HomePod does something novel and sensational out of the box on Feb 9 I will chalk up these statements as Tim Cook's usual PR marketing self promotional blathering with very little fact behind his statements, just like how Trump works.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

that's 256kbps AAC, not MP3, that's what Mr. Apple claimed to be better than 320 MP3

Well if you are going to be pedantic, Spotify is 320 Ogg Vorbis, not MP3. But as I said neither are true CD sound. They are both rather garbagey for home listening if that makes you feel better. Compressed music is best for cars and ear buds.

My point remains, if Mr. Cook really cared about quality music as he pretends to in his statement he'd be competing with Tidal, not Spotify. It's not about the music quality for Cook. It's about the money. He doesn't give a crap about the sound quality of the music as long as people sign up. He wants to flatter people thinking they are audiophiles if they get a tiny Apple Speaker, persuading them every HomePod comes with an Audiophile badge. I'm not a snob -- I don't have any truly high end equipment, but the difference is I realize it.