Apple’s whole MO is to only enter markets where they can contribute something unique- and high-margin. Cheap corporate spyware you plant around your home clashes with Apple’s corporate identity so badly I wonder why they ever felt a need to release a product like this. I suspect HomePod was meant to be a high-end speaker and they slapped Siri on last minute to compete with Google and Amazon, thinking smart speakers might be “the next big thing”. They were clearly wrong. I think Apple should focus on the HomeKit standard which integrates with all your Apple devices, and let partners fill in the low-margin stuff. With Matter and allowing Siri to be routed through other speakers I think they’re headed in this direction but it still requires a HomePod, which is a mistake. Scrap HomePod completely and let iPhone be the center of your smart home, or maybe Apple TV. No need for a “smart” speaker.