Apple Remains 'Largely Absent' in U.S. Smart Speaker Market

[maflynn]

I'm an original homepod owner and truth be told, it was a waste of money. Yeah, it produces good sounds, but for the price, it was totally not worth it. Siri is all but useless, half the time, when I try to start/stop or change the music, my phone's siri answers and my homepod just sits there. Then there's siri's lack of ability especially compared to its competitor, which means I'm under utilizing the homepod

 

[jerryk]

I think most consumers have a hard time justifying spending $99 on something which, on paper, is nearly functionally identical to Amazon and Google devices which have cost $20-30 for years. (Yes — ecosystem, texting, Siri, I get it.)

I’m looking forward to Apple releasing a screen model for $249 and for people to scratch their heads asking why it’s not selling.

Only $249. I expect Apple will put in a mini-LED screen and charge $499. Of course, that screen will be worthless on a device with a 6" screen that you use from 5 feet away. But hey, Apple will have the best screen. And still wonder why it does not sell.

 

[arvinsim]

Siri doesn’t record you like Alexa and Google does too. Also, Alexa is very easy to hack as well.

I’ll take a dumb Siri over Amazon having my conversations recorded.

Which is exactly the philosophy that Apple went with. Look at what it got them.

 

[giggles]

I’m smart_home-centric rather than music-centric or Jeopardy_questions-centric.

Amazon and Google smart home apps suck compared to Apple’s Home (and that’s saying something since Home itself is far from perfect). Moreover, cloud-based smart home sucks compared to local network based smart home. (this will gradually change with Matter, which will bring some of the perks of Homekit to the other smart home systems)

Homekit and Homepods for me, thank you.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Now after ten years we will soon get on device processing for the most basic things……took TEN ***** YEARS!!

It took Ten Years to take something that used to be done exclusively by huge servers in some distant location OR on PC’s and do it on a mobile device small enough to carry in your pocket? Sounds about right.

 

[Marbles1]

Amazon's echos are great. Alexa actually understands me and can do things. You can use Apple Music as your default music service, and you can install apps to listen to non-apple radio stations, get news, do home automation etc.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

HomePod is trying to dictate to the market rather than serving the customer by solving a genuine problem.

That’s Apple’s MO, though. Everything they do is dictating to the market. From the market that wanted actual keyboards and not touch screens, to the market that wants mice… and also not touch screens If they find enough millions of folks that like it, then it’s profitable and they keep making it as long as it’s profitable.

 

[ApostolisApo]

Because Apple asks permission to listen and review recordings. Most opt out.

Please stop...

This hasn't been so until there were some whistleblowers in 2019 who uncovered that their practices were the same with Google's and Amazon's. After that they set it to opt-in because you obviously cannot place privacy ads and then do what your competitors do.

And Siri was left behind in the competition since Alexa and Google Assistant were introduced. And guess what. Until saner minds came to the Siri division, Apple execs provocatively said in interviews "we don't want to make Siri a voice encyclopedia (because this is such a bad thing for a virtual assistant to be) but rather make her help us in our everyday lives (and still not allow for two simultaneous timers).

Google Assistant has really become a valuable assistant in our everyday lives. Just to give you a couple of examples of what you are missing:
1. I was planning to make a trip to a neighboring country and I didn't know if my car tires were allowed there. Google Assistant got me the (correct) answer in 1 second with the first try.
2. For nearly every product we have discussed and we were not sure about its price range, we just ask the Assistant and get an idea of it.
Both answers were read aloud by the Assistant, no damned web results I had to look in in my phone.
Both examples happened in Swedish. I can't imagine how good Assistant is in English.

Siri is only good for Apple Music and iMessage integration.

 

[jonnyb098]

Pardon my tone here everyone but if Apple really gives a crap about services, they have to rethink this strategy. Make a tiny, medium and huge smart speaker and sell them at a small loss of break even and include 6 months of Apple Music with every speaker sold. Apple needs people to fill heir entire homes with these things. Bring Siri to every room of the house for $29, $49 and $99 respectively and do a huge marketing push about hand off and airplay 2 and intercom and get one in every single bedroom / living room in the country. People are spending $1500 on iPhones then asking Alexa to play music. It's absurd.

HomePod failed @ $299. It would not have failed at $99. Everyone I know would own 2-3 of them by now.

Let’s not pretend people make much sense in general. The same people buying $1500 smart phones also refuse to spend 2.99 on an app…..and then proceed to download a free game and spend $50 on gems.

The iPhone is still a status symbol (though less so in recent years).Home smart speakers aren’t so it’s a tougher market.

 

[BuddyRich]

Prefer Sonos for synchronized whole home music... but I don't turn on Alexa or Google Home functionality in them as I use Homekit. I prefer a visual UI so have a couple of wall-mounted iPads with the Home app for interaction, split screen with the Sonos App for music control in Kiosk mode.

I'd be interested in a HomePod Screen Speaker potentially, assuming it allowed a Home UI and the Sonos App but honestly a 10.2" iPad is just as good and so much more capable with a full range of apps and not that expensive.

I would imagine the HomePod screen OS will be tightly locked down. That was my biggest complaint with the Echo Shows... I'd actually ditch the Sonos App if Apple allowed remote control of Airplay 2 endpoints in terms of Queue etc. (it does for Homepods and Apple TV) I find it silly that I can use a Apple Music app on my iPhone to control music on my iPad or other Airplay 2 speaker - considering you used to be able to do this with the Remote app and an iTunes library...

I do use Siri with the ATV remote and my watch, almost strictly for the HomeKit commands or dictating something for search on AppleTV, never for a random question or music control (again prefer UI for that). I've never got used to just speaking something for something that is always listening. Like having to press a button to do so but I can see the appeal of hands-free, its just not for me, or more importantly my tinfoil hat wearing wife who doesn't even trust turning on location services on her phone.

 

[dwsolberg]

More than half of my smart home stuff doesn't work with Apple, and Siri is definitely less capable than Alexa.

I'd really prefer to use Apple's stuff, but it just doesn't work for me.

 

[yabeweb]

Lack of line in makes it doa for me.

 

[ouimetnick]

I have 9 original HomePods (4 in storage as backup/spares) and 2 minis. The original HomePod is a phenomenal sounding speaker for its small size, but Siri is still dumb as ****. Unable to discern between “light” and “lights” for example.

Apple doesn’t need to listen to my recordings, they just need to fix basic stuff so their 10 year old virtual assistant has the intelligence of an actual 10 year old.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

More than half of my smart home stuff doesn't work with Apple, and Siri is definitely less capable than Alexa.

I'd really prefer to use Apple's stuff, but it just doesn't work for me.

Yeah, regarding smart homes, you have to plan from the start for it to be HomeKit compatible. If you buy smart home stuff that’s not HomeKit compatible, then it absolutely won’t work with HomeKit. However, if you choose to only purchase compatible devices, it’s very easy to set up and use.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Unable to discern between “light” and “lights” for example.

I have to say I wouldn’t be able to discern between the two either. If someone pointed at me and said “light” or “lights”, I’d likely provide an answer VERY close to what Siri would. I’d guess it would be the same for a ten year old, too.

 

[beanbaguk]

That's because the HomePod Mini sounds crap.

I know many will disagree, but it's true. It sounds like a tin can with no depth. Now I know it's never meant to compete against the likes of a decent speaker, but compared to the HomePod, it's garbage!

If you want a speaker this size, the new Amazon Echo Dot is much better (IMHO), in terms of value.

The only reason to really have one is as a Homekit Hub which Apple should really start selling as a product.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

That's because the HomePod Mini sounds crap.

I know many will disagree, but it's true. It sounds like a tin can with no depth. Now I know it's never meant to compete against the likes of a decent speaker, but compared to the HomePod, it's garbage!

I know someone with an Echo Dot. I guess it’s POSSIBLE to think it sounds better than the HomePod Mini, but it’s also POSSIBLE to walk from New York to Las Vegas.

 

[beanbaguk]

I own 6 HomePods and I know why.
When it comes to speakers, I'm primarily concerned with perfectly coordinated sound. And only Apple's speakers have the processing power to achieve that. It's that simple.

Sorry, but that's simply not true.

I have four Amazon Echo Dots around my home, one Echo Plus, and one Echo, and they all synchronize perfectly.

As you suggested. It's that simple. (Oh and I can Bluetooth to them too....and they understand my questions and I can even use Homebridge to link it all up to my HomeKit set-up too).

No chance of pulling that off with a HomePod.

 

[beanbaguk]

I know someone with an Echo Dot. I guess it’s POSSIBLE to think it sounds better than the HomePod Mini, but it’s also POSSIBLE to walk from New York to Las Vegas.

I've had both. I'm talking in terms of value. My echo dots (the ball ones), cost me just €30 each. A HomePod Mini is three times that cost yet, 100x more stupid in terms of functionality.

The sound quality is very close.

Amazon Echo Dot (4th Generation) review

The fourth-gen Echo Dot is an improved performer all round

www.whathifi.com

 

[hagar]

There’s an always on apple smart speaker on every wrist, in every pocket, in every ear canal, while the OG homepod debacle and “good Siri” feeling like it’s always coming next year are undeniable, it should be taken into account that Apple’s assistant lives in a lot of other places too and maybe that’s enough for some people.

True. But this is about the smart home market, and Apple has failed to capture any market share or show any innovation.

Both their speaker and TV hardware and HomeKit middleware are largely failures. It could be so cool if they can advance in these markets and create a true presence there.

And then there’s the disaster called Siri. After 10 years, Apple should just pull the plug on her.

 

[DeepWebinar]

I don’t think they ever really tried. The original homepod was too expensive and Siri is garbage. I’d neeeever put an Amazon or Google speaker in my house, but when I see what my friends can do with theirs, I’m jealous. I only use my homepod for playing music and most of the time I’m starting on my phone and switching the output manually. Any time I try to get Siri to do something, it messes up my request or takes too long and I feel like a doofus. That or it just doesn’t do enough to actually be useful.

 

[sdreamer07]

Don't think it has anything to do with the features or the hardware honestly. Amazon just literally gives away the Echo dots with every purchase during Black Friday, Christmas, and prime day. You end up getting and going "huh, really? guess I'll just use it" You gotta admit though, they're still doing better than Facebook it looks like.

 

[deputy_doofy]

At the end of the day, Siri simply sucks. While I love the speaker itself for music, that's where the love ends. I can't even get the thing to learn my voice. The Home app is equally crappy.

The Echo Dot already knows my voice and my kids' voices, all without needing to go into an app to do it.

When Apple gets things right, they get it really right. When they get things wrong, they get it really wrong.

Alexa wins, hands down. Answers my questions. Has follow-up mode. Has fun responses. Siri, however, is "on it..."

 

[diamornte]

Discontinue a $299 speaker to introduce $550 headphones…..also Siri is meh. Sometimes great, other times barely works. That inconsistency has pushed millions away from remembering to use Siri for many things. Now after ten years we will soon get on device processing for the most basic things……took TEN ***** YEARS!!

Personally I love my HomePod for music, it sounds incredible especially given it’s size. But apple didnt learn its lesson from that other $349 speaker no one bought. It should’ve been 299 to start and fall to 199 over time and make it a full product lineup. Make a “travel pod ” for on the go, etc etc. Also the homepod mini naming makes zero sense now.

Lots of untapped potential for the HomePod lineup if they bothered.

Truth! Facts! This guy should work for Apple. Tim Cook, are you reading this?

 

[raindogg]

They do sound and look good in my small Brooklyn apartment. BUT!!! Airplay sucks, it has always sucked and it continues to suck. My bluetooth speakers stay connected forever. Airplay has been disconnecting on me since 2003. It's been 18 years, FIX IT APPLE!!!!