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Does anyone think Apple will allow it to play from any music streaming service?
Or do you think they will lock it down/limit it to only Apple Music?

So users of say Spotify, who may currently have a Amazon Echo, or Google Home, or Sonos, and may fancy an Apple Speaker won't be able to make use of it?

Apple Music only for now, unless they open it up in the future. If you currently have one of those products, not sure why you would prefer this.
 
This has been Apple's marketing scheme for the last thirty years. The amazing thing is that people obviously are still falling for it.
This piece doesn’t make Apple look good so if it’s a marketing leak then Apple marketing failed.
 
I'm still confused about Homepod... I've read it won't stream anything but Apple Music. Does that mean it won't be able to stream KCRW?

Because honestly, it'll be useless to me if that's the case.

This thing is a front-end for Apple Music, and Apple Music alone. When you already locked into Apple's ecosystem, HomePod might add some value to it. For everybody else... Not so much.
 
Would any Audiophile really want anything with such tiny speakers in Mono ?

I have (and still have) speakers 100x better than this from literally decades ago.

They're not going after the high-end audio crowd. As with nearly every product Apple sells, they're making a product for the general consumer. The 99% of the market. Targeting the largest group means the most potential buyers. Just look at the iPhone, iPad, MBA, and more. They make products for the everyday user.
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This thing is a front-end for Apple Music, and Apple Music alone. When you already locked into Apple's ecosystem, HomePod might add some value to it. For everybody else... Not so much.

Yup. It's a product for the millions of people that subscribe to Apple Music. For those people, it's an awesome option to allow them to enjoy music even more in their home. For the more than 30 million Apple Music subscribers, this looks like a good buy.
 
It will be interesting to see who the market ends up being for the Home Pod. Since I already have an AppleTV hooked up to my surround sound system, I don't need it for the music. But that's me. There are a lot of people who purchased the Bose single unit systems that use Bluetooth - but that's all they do.

Maybe there is something unique to the beamforming technology that was pioneered in Apple's AirPort Extreme that can create an aural experience that rivals much more expensive speakers. Like the AirPods that were panned until people tried them, the Home Pod could provide a better experience.

I'm no sound engineer or audiophile but how the speaker array is configured and the software to respond to a room's dynamics could prove to be an enormous advantage - much the same as how a software became the big differentiator with smart phones.
 
They better drop this by $100 or more.

Why? When does Apple just 'drop' prices? It's Expensive, yes. But the HomePod is aiming to bring premium sound quality into the household. If someone wanted a cheaper alternative, those are readily available. The HomePod isn't likely intended for everyone.
 
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Would any Audiophile really want anything with such tiny speakers in Mono ?

I have (and still have) speakers 100x better than this from literally decades ago.
That’s my point. I don’t think Apple is targeting audiophiles. Same thing with headphones. Not their audience.
 
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Does Sonos (or Amazon) employ adaptive beamforming and spectrum equalization? Does Sonos employ and process a six element array of microphones to aid beamforming and equalization calculations, and to better process Siri commands?

The more important question for people who actually buy those products is: Does any of this matter? Does anybody care? "Alexa, connect my speaker. Alexa, play Peace Sells".

Amazon is mopping the floor with Apple here. Articles like this one or just Apple sponsored damage control.
 
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So is this a Siri thing or a high quality speaker for music? If people are looking for a hub that allows Siri to listen to commands all the time then is high quality audio really that important?
 
Connect a pair of speakers to an Amazon Dot? Really? You can build a PC yourself but consumers have shown they'd much much rather buy one pre-made from Dell, HP, or Apple. People don't want to buy an Amazon Dot and then buy a pair of speakers. They want one integrated product that does it all. You can do everything Sonos does with a pair of home speakers, AirPlay, and an amp but people don't want to do that, which is why they buy Sonos.



Please show us a comparable speaker with beam-forming, personal assistant, and the other tech the HomePod offers, at a lower price.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sonos-...MIv7aJ3onQ1wIVgRCBCh3_oQ8jEAYYAiABEgIB8vD_BwE

That has far more support than anything the homepod will offer in the near future.
 
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You're missing the point of the HomePod if you think it's about Siri.

Apple hardly talked about Siri when announcing the HomePod. They hardly mention it on HomePod webpage too and what it talked about is all related to music.

HomePod is all about music. That's the entire focus and purpose of this device. Those comparing it to the Amazon Echo and Google Home are missing the point entirely. It's like comparing a Honda Civic, Porsche 911, and Jeep Wrangler 4x4. They'll all get you from point A to point B, but one is best at offroad, while another is best on the track, and another best at fuel economy.

So basically it's a wireless link-able Apple HiFI?
 
Would any Audiophile really want anything with such tiny speakers in Mono ?

I have (and still have) speakers 100x better than this from literally decades ago.

Audiophiles are not Apple’s target market. There are plenty of companies out there who sell to that market with people who are willing to spend $2K for stereo interconnect cables.
 
The Apple engineers jokingly accused one another of leaking details of their project to Amazon, then bought Echos so they could take them apart and see how they were put together. They quickly deemed the Echo's sound quality inferior and got back to work building a better speaker.

Lawsuit in 3, 2, ...
 
Seems to me Apple is targeting Sonos and Bose. Are they really competing with the audiophile crowd?

You mean in terms of sound? They speak like they are aiming for the audiophile crowd. Sonos builds speakers whose sound profile can be match, and can be picked to disolve into a room. There is no word from Apple on how the HomePod will work when you have two or three of these things in the same room.

If someone considers Bose as "good" couldn't they just plug a Bose speaker into a dot? At least then they could make them vanish into the background.
 
So is this a Siri thing or a high quality speaker for music? If people are looking for a hub that allows Siri to listen to commands all the time then is high quality audio really that important?

Exactly. The person truly looking for a music first option is willing to piece together a high quality speaker system for $350. They are two different customers. Amazon and google understand this, and that is a large reason they went with serviceable speakers vs high quality $350+ options.

I won't pretend this won't sell like crazy because it has the Apple name attached to it, but the market looking for a smart speaker isn't the same as the ones looking for high quality audio. The two together is a niche market.
 
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The more important question for people who actually buy those products is: Does any of this matter? Does anybody care? "Alexa, connect my speaker. Alexa, play Peace Sells".

Amazon is mopping the floor with Apple here. Articles like this one or just Apple sponsored damage control.

I hear ya, bro. Ericsson and Nokia were mopping Apple’s floor at one time, as well. Especially before Apple entered their market. :)
 
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Doesn't anybody remember the iPod HiFi?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod_Hi-Fi

IPod_Hi-Fi.jpg

Yes, but in Apple's defense this wasn't really built to sell. This was released to allow 3rd party venders justification to build expensive accessories. Of which Apple collected royalties.
 
Amazon launched its Echo speaker integrated with its voice-activated personal assistant Alexa, which is considered a hit with customers.

... but the Apple Watch, which was selling 3-5x, was considered a flop with customers.

the $349 speaker won't be ready in time for the holiday shopping season, which could lead customers to purchase an Echo or Google Home instead.

If you're in the market for an HomePod you're not buying an horribly sounding Echo. Maybe the funds may be diverged to a nice Apple Watch instead ;)

I'm in Canada. Echo finally is entering our market on December 5th. I would prefer a homepod, but Apple won't be releasing in Canada for who knows how long, so i just ordered an echo. I already own 2 apple watches I dont see how they compete with a speaker based smart home assistant.

BTW hey SIRI on phone/watch is terrible. I can't wait to see if the echo is as good as everyone says at picking up my weather / music /smart home request from across the room.
 
Unless Apple invests 1000s of more hours and millions in cash, Siri will never be a personal assistant. She’s a toy.

Alexa is really a unique and fun experience. Bordering on nearly transparent.

But you don't know what Apple has invested already into Siri as it is, so I'm not sure where you come up with "thousands more of hours and millions in cash. "

Essentially, all these virtual assistants do the same thing. I don't find Siri to be a toy, I find it to be productive when I need it to be, but it does have its downfalls, just like the other voice assistants do as well. Siri works for me, but perhaps not for others.
 
As someone with an Alexa, I have to say I can't wait for HomePod to ship. Don't get me wrong, Alexa works for some things but I'd rather listen to music through a tin can attached to a string than listen to it on an Echo. HomePod hits the right note with me (pun intended). I'm curious to see if two of them in a room would work well as pseudo surround for an entertainment system?
 
Connect a pair of speakers to an Amazon Dot? Really? You can build a PC yourself but consumers have shown they'd much much rather buy one pre-made from Dell, HP, or Apple.
Um, no. People would rather build one, but when they can't (because of time, confidence, etc.) so they give in and buy Dell, HP, and Apple.

People don't want to buy an Amazon Dot and then buy a pair of speakers.
Based on the number of Dot's I have seen people buy this year, I would disagree.

They want one integrated product that does it all.
Like the Echo.

You can do everything Sonos does with a pair of home speakers, AirPlay, and an amp but people don't want to do that, which is why they buy Sonos.
People buy Sonos because it's one of the few syncronized room solutions that also uses good enough speakers that, and this is important, disappear when installed.
 
IDK $350 for a speaker still seems like too much for me.

Siri works well enough, but as someone who has a smart system, the extent of my use is turning on or off lights and setting timers when I cook.

If I could program Siri to work with commands like hey computer instead of hey Siri, it would honestly be an easier sale.

That's what most people I know use Echo/Dot for... that, and playing back music. I've always said the smart speaker category is a solution looking for a problem... they're all dumb and frustrating to use except for the most basic commands (which Siri does just as well, btw) and the sound quality is dreadful for music.

That said, the sound quality is improving making "smart" speakers more purposeful as a music listening device with the ability to execute basic functions.

If you want a digital assistant, the Apple Watch is a far superior option IMO.
 
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