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Apple Hosting Live HomePod Question-and-Answer Event on July 25

JPLC said:
Why doesn’t it have an aux? I mean, some of us do have quality speakers.
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Probably because they want you to buy another HomePod.

Kind of funny... imagine using the HomePod as an actual speaker (as Apple originally intended) and connecting it into a Google/Alexa smart speaker via BT/aux solutions. It'd be an anti-Apple pattern, but it'd be good for consumers. You'd get the best of both worlds.
 
bmustaf said:
If they can answer the question of "How the hell is my HomePod/Siri so damn stupid?" I will be satisfied.

I have a HomePod sitting next to an Echo show. I always *want* to use the HomePod because the microphones and speaker are so far superior, but what good is being heard and hearing great audio back when it's never what you asked for and usually "Sorry, I can't do that on HomePod".
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Questions I’d ask:
Is the HomePod susceptible of hearing commands that are inaudible tot he human ear?! (Echos suffer this and it’s a dangerous implementation)!

Can HomePod or Siri be updated SOON to recognize only the voice of the owner or whom setup their iCloud and thus did the initial walk through training (if there is one like on iOS)?!
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JPLC said:
Why doesn’t it have an aux? I mean, some of us do have quality speakers.
Click to expand...

Then use your quality speakers return the HomePod and hunt for that plugin the wall Apple Wi-Fi thing that has 3.5mm jack.

Oh you mean you have quality amps to connect to this speaker? You’ll blow its fuse on HomePod.
 
Nobody wants the HomePod. It’s too expensive, and doesn’t do half the things Alexa and Google Home do.

Apple’s problem is Siri! They treat Siri like an application that needs updated annually to add new features. The other assistance are cloud based and offer functionality updates constantly.

The HomePod will continue to be a failure until Apple changes the mindset around Siri.
 
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bmustaf said:
Well, I wanted more than a $350 egg timer that sounds great (and frankly was promised better/more). But it IS an AAPL product so I probably should have known that $350 for an egg timer is considered "a great thing" in the Apple reality distortion field and that I'm the unreasonable one for actually wanting something more than a beautiful device that really doesn't do what others do.

1) Get me an answer about something simple (that alexa and google assistant fire on with pretty damn good reliability) like "Tell me about the paul manafort issue".

2) *ANY* third party app data/task that isn't HomeKit. Integrations/skills - totally lacking, SiriKit is a joke on iPhone, it's even more pathetic on HomePod. Alexa can drive all kinds of things remotely and on its own, while HomePod can't even set a reminder unless my iPhone is on the same WiFi network.

3) Like I finished with above, even Apple's OWN ecosystem of things can't/don't work on it unless there's an iPhone on the same network. Sometimes my phone is in my car, it's dead, I forgot it at the office or home, whatever.

But you are correct: It's a brilliant speaker, but that is all it is, a brilliant speaker. *ALTHOUGH* even in that, no Bluetooth pairing support? Really? Yeah, AP2 exists, it's quality is ostensibly better, but sometimes I have friends come over with Android devices who want to play stuff and AirPlay 2 adoption sucks, soooo, no cigar on the HomePod. Even myself, AirPlay 2 itself is pretty damn buggy esp in larger WiFi networks, there are times I *wish* playing music off my iPhone would just use normal BT and not all the fanciness (and attendant things that also can go wrong) with more complex protocols like AP2.

Apple's whole thing is "our **** just works" (at least for me). It's never the fastest (despite the claims/reality distortion field). It's never the most modern (cute, the MBP just got DDR4 and 32GB and still has a keyboard that doesn't work). But I still buy it and pay the premium because, like I said, it just works without much fuss.

I've had way too much fuss, "I'm sorry, I am useless" from Siri, etc on HomePod, and not nearly enough "wow, it does this really well to forgive these other things". But if all you need to do is say "hey play this play list", it's probably the best sounding speaker in that price range that does that in one box without a phone attached. But it's not a smart speaker.
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You should have bought $350 of AAPL stock and then waited until it went up enough for you to buy a HomePod. Much better use of money than buying that piece of junk on your own dime. Just sayin', because seriously how hard has life become that we need a listening station to look the weather up for us or switch the light off in the bathroom for us? You can already do most of that from your phone if you want.

A waste of money is still a waste of money, be it $5 or $500000.
 
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What I most want to know is when they will support multiple profiles. Having it tied to only one iCloud account just won’t work for something that’s tied to a household location.
 
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Hold me back! I’ve booked my front row seat already. Pending anything of more importance taking priority in the meantime. I.E.: Eating. Drinking. Thinking.

Next!
 
ApfelKuchen said:
The responses here aren't surprising, but really, people, what are you expecting, an interview with Craig Federighi?

Shouldn't it be obvious that it's an extension of the sessions offered at the Apple Stores? The point, as it is with any other session of this sort, is to help customers who own HomePods to get more enjoyment from them. That makes for happier customers who are more likely to buy and/or spread word of mouth about more Apple products.

If it's successful, then there are still more ways Apple's customers can interact with an Apple employee. This is especially nice if you don't happen to have a nearby Apple Store.
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I’m sorry Craig Federighi is NOT that important, at least not in my eyes yet that’s my own opinion I’m valid to have and form. I especially don’t like the bravado or arrogance of pride form the WWDC opening: rising happiness tones of long haired developer wearing a scarf : in a city that is above 24 celcius all year round (LMAO) or that Craig Federighi is highlighted as an elite for young developers to look up to?! Really?

Nah let’s back to topic and summits what Apple could be doing to alleviate this issue.
 
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So, as near as I can tell the HomePod doesn’t stream from my phone. The phone simply tells it what to play and it plays directly from Apple Music all by itself?
 
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A good questions is why can I not use this $350 speaker with ... my tv? Or my video game system? Or anything else but the Apple TV for that matter.
 
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1) I asked alexa the exact quote you gave. "Tell me about the paul manafort issue". The answer was Paul manafort is a lawyer yada yada - it was the first line from Wikipedia. It didn't answer the question, about the "issue". I asked Siri the same and it admitted it didn't know. I then said "Who is Paul Manafort" and it said the same line from wikipedia that Alexa did. Neither knew but Alexa pretended to and instead said the wrong thing. Would you have preferred Siri to provide that wrong answer as well?

2) HomeKit and SiriKit are different things. SiriKit is closer to Skills/Third Party. Look at the top skills on Amazon's site. Whale noises. Really. Super powerful. What Alexa does have is more devices integrated with it. That's closer to HomeKit. Until this year (I think) they said they required a hardware integration for security reasons. WeMo just announced the software integrated device for HomeKit (see macrumors this week) so hopefully more will roll out. I have lifx bulbs, lutrons, garage, locks, fans, everything you could imagine for the smart home and HomeKit actually outperforms on those significantly. Where it fails is on media - I don't understand why I can't turn on the tv, play shows, etc. using it. As for third parties, I want Spotify because everything I have is in Spotify so it's hard for me to just adopt Apple Music.

3) I prefer this. I don't want a guest in my house to ask for any sensitive info via the HomePod if I'm not there. The phone requirement helps me avoid that. If I forgot my phone in the car, I would prefer to go get it and not leave it there and if my phone is dead, I prefer to plug it in. I think most people would start looking for their phones the minute they couldn't find it and not just say "eh i'll find it when i find it...maybe it's in the car...i don't need it now" since we are all so addicted to our phones and also want to not lose them.


bmustaf said:
Well, I wanted more than a $350 egg timer that sounds great (and frankly was promised better/more). But it IS an AAPL product so I probably should have known that $350 for an egg timer is considered "a great thing" in the Apple reality distortion field and that I'm the unreasonable one for actually wanting something more than a beautiful device that really doesn't do what others do.

1) Get me an answer about something simple (that alexa and google assistant fire on with pretty damn good reliability) like "Tell me about the paul manafort issue".

2) *ANY* third party app data/task that isn't HomeKit. Integrations/skills - totally lacking, SiriKit is a joke on iPhone, it's even more pathetic on HomePod. Alexa can drive all kinds of things remotely and on its own, while HomePod can't even set a reminder unless my iPhone is on the same WiFi network.

3) Like I finished with above, even Apple's OWN ecosystem of things can't/don't work on it unless there's an iPhone on the same network. Sometimes my phone is in my car, it's dead, I forgot it at the office or home, whatever.

But you are correct: It's a brilliant speaker, but that is all it is, a brilliant speaker. *ALTHOUGH* even in that, no Bluetooth pairing support? Really? Yeah, AP2 exists, it's quality is ostensibly better, but sometimes I have friends come over with Android devices who want to play stuff and AirPlay 2 adoption sucks, soooo, no cigar on the HomePod. Even myself, AirPlay 2 itself is pretty damn buggy esp in larger WiFi networks, there are times I *wish* playing music off my iPhone would just use normal BT and not all the fanciness (and attendant things that also can go wrong) with more complex protocols like AP2.

Apple's whole thing is "our **** just works" (at least for me). It's never the fastest (despite the claims/reality distortion field). It's never the most modern (cute, the MBP just got DDR4 and 32GB and still has a keyboard that doesn't work). But I still buy it and pay the premium because, like I said, it just works without much fuss.

I've had way too much fuss, "I'm sorry, I am useless" from Siri, etc on HomePod, and not nearly enough "wow, it does this really well to forgive these other things". But if all you need to do is say "hey play this play list", it's probably the best sounding speaker in that price range that does that in one box without a phone attached. But it's not a smart speaker.
Click to expand...
 
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.[/QUOTE]
ApfelKuchen said:
The responses here aren't surprising, but really, people, what are you expecting, an interview with Craig Federighi?

Shouldn't it be obvious that it's an extension of the sessions offered at the Apple Stores? The point, as it is with any other session of this sort, is to help customers who own HomePods to get more enjoyment from them. That makes for happier customers who are more likely to buy and/or spread word of mouth about more Apple products.

If it's successful, then there are still more ways Apple's customers can interact with an Apple employee. This is especially nice if you don't happen to have a nearby Apple Store.
Click to expand...
what did you expect from this forum ?
 
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Good attempt. Obviously HomePod has missed missed sales projections. Still make products with Apple’s best interests primary and end user secondary.
 
This is a good thing!

Now Apple lets do this for the other Support Communities which are using your other hardware. I would even create a few support groups on generic subjects like photography & video.
 
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Would somebody be so kind as to ask them how to update the HomePod, without it dulling down and changing the speaker dynamics - as in the bass responsiveness (which MacRumors noted was a change after the very first update they gave users) - or any other physical capabilities through a software update? I would love to use new features, but not at the expense of the sound quality it originally came with (unless they manage to improve it).

I do not want another Apple software update messing up the hardware it came with.
 
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