You mean the Spotify integration that doesn’t work and is also supposed to arrive “by Christmas”? Or the fact that Alexa on Sonos One doesn’t offer the full range of features it does on an actual Alexa device?
Good luck with that.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Says HomePod is Delayed Until Early 2018
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
You mean the Spotify integration that doesn’t work and is also supposed to arrive “by Christmas”? Or the fact that Alexa on Sonos One doesn’t offer the full range of features it does on an actual Alexa device?
Good luck with that.
I look forward to this product as much as I did the first iPhone and watch. I do hope people realize the device shown, way back, was an empty shell. Solely to appease share holders that Apple was on top of things with the entire Smart Speaker craze. Delays are expected.
the apps delay is the most hilarious thing to me. it basically exists, because it actually exists on ios. why not just flip the switch or tick the box labeled “requires apple tv” lol
I was in Best Buy this morning... piles and piles of Echo and Google Homes all prepped for Black Friday blowout. Apple is losing more and more potential customers every passing day. Not sure what's going on at Apple these days, but it's not good. They clearly are lacking the leadership a company needs with issue after issue, and focus in all the wrong places.
meanwhile over at Amazon how many Echo devices do they have (like 5-6) for a non-tech company? Exactly ...unless Apple has something more coming, buying this over priced speaker seems pointless. At least for me it does. They really need to focus on Siri improvements and not the speaker
I have two echos and an echo show at home, and a dot in my office. Between multi-room audio, SiriusXm and Spotify integration, to the ever expanding Alexa skills, I fear the home pod is DOA.
Last edited:
I'm sorry Apple, but Alexa and Hey Google have beaten you to this market and will dominate over Siri. Everyone is willing to buy a few $50 smart speakers and will never buy a $300+ speaker with Siri.
[doublepost=1510947568][/doublepost]
[doublepost=1510947568][/doublepost]
I also fear the same… Apple really missed it here. PLUS they failed in their previous iPod docking speaker. That was also expensive and not many bought it. But with Siri failing our commands and questions, and Alexa in almost everything/everywhere (that's how Kindle became the standard) Amazon will win, even over Hey Google. Apple has really dropped the ball and it's going to take a HUGE Siri AI advance for any shift of attention away from Alexa.
APPLE: We can't release this!! it is not buggy enough, it works under too many conditions, hardware is too good. How are we going to obsolete this next year?? Come back when you have something ready for our consumers!!
Hang on a mo. Spotify does work with the Sonos One .... granted its Alexa Sonos integration is not working as it should but there is a hack/workaround. The Apple HomePod will probably not support Spotify for ages... voice controlled or not.
Just saying .... I think you will be proved wrong ... the Sonos One will outsell the HomePod..time will tell who is right.
Mad Mac Maniac
macrumors 601
Steve Jobs would never announce a product before it was released!! Well except for iPhone was announced 6 months before release... oh and iPad was announced 3 months before release... I’m sure there are more examples. The point is that announcing a brand new product 3-6 months before release is the norm for Apple and often times other companies announce like a year out or announce something and then cut it before it’s released.
Cue the apologists.
I guess being the richest corporation on the planet, doesn't buy you competence.
Seriously, when you can't get a speaker out after announcing it over 6 months, there's something wrong. AirPods were late as well.
Yes, there are many pieces to the puzzle. Whether it be technical, logistics, or something else, it doesn't paint a good picture of how things are run.
Maybe Apple's bitting off a bit more than they can chew. Focus on improving existing products and stop following Amazon and Google.
I guess being the richest corporation on the planet, doesn't buy you competence.
Seriously, when you can't get a speaker out after announcing it over 6 months, there's something wrong. AirPods were late as well.
Yes, there are many pieces to the puzzle. Whether it be technical, logistics, or something else, it doesn't paint a good picture of how things are run.
Maybe Apple's bitting off a bit more than they can chew. Focus on improving existing products and stop following Amazon and Google.
He didn’t mention HomePod. I think he meant that the new Echo devices have much better sound quality than the old ones. That increases pricing pressure on Apple regardless of whether it still wins in a head-to-head.
May I ask how well the Echo's work with an iPhone? I've been ermmmming and aghhhhhhing about these for a while, and with this announcement, if the Echo's work with iPhones then I'm going to go on over to Amazon and order.
Yeah... 5-10 years ago I'd have said no way, Apple will crush everyone else because they always "do it better" ... but this is 2017 and that's not how Apple is anymore, so I think your comment is absolutely accurate. Apple will always be years behind everyone else until they go back to a more forward-thinking leadership team.
[doublepost=1510948977][/doublepost]
I have one and it's great. There's not much tie-in with iPhone needed, but you can install the Alexa app, and the bluetooth pairs nicely. None of that is needed though. As a bit of personal advice, wait until Black Friday to order, every year Amazon and Best Buy always have huge black Friday discounts on them.
They work fine, you can bluetooth to an echo from iPhone, and the Alexa app is where you add skills, manage your devices, etc. Honestly, give at least a dot a try.
That’s a major disappointment. I had planned on that for Xmas, and was holding off to do so. Can I wait another quarter or am I going to cave and get something else? Bummer.
HomePod or iCloud iMessage are the white iPhone 2.0
[doublepost=1510949527][/doublepost]
Sonos is by far the best all in one package and that fact that you're comparing it to McDonald's clearly shows you A) have no grasp as to what quality is or B) you're grasping at straws to aid your "argument". Also here you are comparing it to the HomePod which has exactly 0 sales and is still being developed.
Hi. Shareholder here. Ha, ha, ha. Trust me as a shareholder I'm 100% not caring if Apple is on top of a $350 speaker. I do care that it can sell tons of iPhone X's. That is what pays the dividends and drives growth. I never made demands that Apple make a smart speaker. I never read any stories of major shareholders demanding one either... or any other product.
Hi. Apple fan here. Ha, ha, ha. As someone who has bought in to the Apple eco-system, including Homekit, the HomePod is a huge disappointment. I don't view Apple as "being on top of things" in this department. More like a "hey! me too," except it's not as functional as the Echo or Google systems, yes, systems, as Amazon and Google have a host of speakers for every room in the house, not a OSFA $350 room that is overkill and not practical for many rooms. Plus it's only 100% IF you use Apple Music. No thanks. Call me when it can control my Mac's iTunes.
Delays are expected because it's Apple. But Apple chose the announcement date, and it couldn't meet it. Apple should stop announcing products until it has a solid release day. It doesn't help it's cause, only makes TC look like a bumbler promising the sky and delivering dirt.
The Alexa "features" not offered on a non Amazon Alexa product like the Sonos One are not very significant. So I can't send a text from my music speaker? So what? Do I need to hear the news flash from my Sonos speaker? I'm happy I can say "play Beatles" or play Neil Young Radio (which it gets from Pandora) or play just about anything via voice, and it does. Including skip, pause, volume up/down. Isn't that what is most important from an Alexa enabled MUSIC speaker? And I understand Spotify is coming in December - so I don't see that as a big deal for Spotify fans.
As far as ALEXA features, it's got all it needs and more.