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Apple's HomePod Estimated to Have Just 5% of Smart Speaker Market Share in U.S.
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Sonos is a tough one as (the latest models) work with all 3 ecosystems, supporting Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Airplay.
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Alexa does everything better but Music, the Homepod's one big advantage is it's sound.
The Echo costs a lot less, and sounds decent.
Alexa is Smarter than SIRI.
You can customize the Echo in so many ways.
Alexa is Smarter than SIRI.
You can customize the Echo in so many ways.
I believe, nobody or almost nobody buys different Smart Speakers because of price. The main problem from my point of view is, SONOS takes Spotify natively, Amazon takes Spotify natively. A perfect combination of SONOS, Spotify and the A.I. of Amazon has been my decisive influence to shop for SONOS and Echo. Most Apple users have realatively deep pockets, but we want to be able to do EVERYTHING and not being limited to Apple Music. I remember when Steve Jobs aimed Apple Products to run all formats, in video, in audio, pdf's, docs, xsls, ALL!
Agreed. Here's a use-case that I have actually solved using the Amazon infrastructure:
"Alexa... good night!"
- turns off all interior lights
- locks the exterior doors
- checks to see if the garage door is open, and if so closes it
- sets the home temperature for night mode
- sets the home alarm to "stay" mode
For all of that to occur Alexa must be able to communicate with and control devices Philips Hue, Lutron, Insteon, Yale, Chamberlain, Trane and others... all seamlessly as if they are one integrated system rather than a collection of disparate devices.
CAN HomeKit - and by extension the HomePod - do that?
Now consider the fact that I could (if desired) use my Apple Music subscription on the Amazon devices.
What is the driving force to have a $300 HomePod in one room versus $300 worth of Echo devices in every room of the house? Other than sound quality I just don't see the benefit.
5% of this market at $299 is impressive, I think.
Marco and Gruber thinks Apple will eventually bow out of this market, but I'd bet the wrong and Apple will introduce a mini version in the future for lower price, and family up.
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Marco and Gruber thinks Apple will eventually bow out of this market, but I'd bet the wrong and Apple will introduce a mini version in the future for lower price, and family up.
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Apple will never sell a Siri speaker for less than $199 IMO.
I really wanted to like this product, but just never understood the market: yes high-quality/stereo sound, but why not throw in the “advantages” (quotes because Siri is still pretty awful surprisingly lol) of a smart speaker?? Especially at that price! I’m interested in a “HomePod 2” - new design, smart speakers and same sound quality (because it *does* at least get sound quality right) and then let’s try this again? Idk. Think Apple got a little courageous with this one when it could be soooooo much better.
Those who follow them know Apple doesn’t chase market share with bargain-priced hardware. They set out to make a great sounding smart speaker, primarily for Apple Music customers—and that’s exactly what they ended up with. After they recovered their R&D, they dropped the price a bit.
I’m sure they were under no illusions about what market share it would command compared to the $25 smart mics.
I would argue that HomePod is a speaker first as well after spending all that time in the keynote explaining how it works. Both Sonos and Bose have smart speakers for nearly 2 years now. Anyway how about comparing HomePod sales to Google Home Max or Echo with Echo Sub, similar pricing... not against a $25 echo dot or google home with slightly better than iPhone sound quality.
Got a pair of HomePods for $500. Quite happy with them, good sound and easy system integration.
It's like the restaurant ad "Sure you can get a hamburger for a dollar ... but then you'd have to eat it."
Yeah you can get an Echo Spot or whatever for $25, but then you have to listen to it, and it won't join your Apple ecosystem.
It's like the restaurant ad "Sure you can get a hamburger for a dollar ... but then you'd have to eat it."
Yeah you can get an Echo Spot or whatever for $25, but then you have to listen to it, and it won't join your Apple ecosystem.
It’ll be released soon after the $400 iPhone 11S Max and the $99 iPad.
I hear it’s coming out before the $12,000 Tesla Model 3, but before Netflix drops to $3.99.
I’m am so fed up with people saying the iHomepod is a loudspeaker with voice controls rather than a “smart speaker.” No. They are not two separate things. Apple made a mistake by focusing on sound quality rather than AI. 7-tweeter array? A 4-inch woofer that moves 20mm? Beamforming sound? WHO CARES! The vast majorty of people are happy with sound quality on their TV and phones. If I want louder sound I put my phone in a glass cup. Boom. Easy and free.
My brother spent thousands on a sound system. So absurd. That money could be spent on charity. But better sound? I in my life have never ever once wished I had better sound quality. No one cares.
My brother spent thousands on a sound system. So absurd. That money could be spent on charity. But better sound? I in my life have never ever once wished I had better sound quality. No one cares.
LOL yeah but that share price though!!
$13.8B in net debt, very low (and declining!) market share in mobile, market share in all other major segments that can be safely rounded to zero.
But that stock price though! Tim's stock options though!!
(This is the reason why I think they should #FIRETHEACCOUNTANT)
$13.8B in net debt, very low (and declining!) market share in mobile, market share in all other major segments that can be safely rounded to zero.
But that stock price though! Tim's stock options though!!
(This is the reason why I think they should #FIRETHEACCOUNTANT)
You get pretty stupid results in a comparison that doesn't compare like products, don't you?
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People that care about sound do. I have like $15K in audio equipment. I'm glad you donate all your extra money to charity and keep your indulgences to an absolute minimum...yet I'm assuming you have an iPhone. You should get a free Android phone and donate $1,000 to charity today.
Understand people care about different things. I'm sure you spend money on things I find stupid. Point is, people buy what they want.
The HomePod sounds far better than your phone in glass cup.
I have four Amazon Echo devices in my house, for less than the cost of one Apple HomePod.
Not sure why everyone wants HomePod to be a smart speaker when chances are you already have an Apple Watch to take care of all of those functions and more
Where does that data come from?
Do the devices send out a user agent string to servers like web browsers do?
Do the devices send out a user agent string to servers like web browsers do?
And really, that's one advantage Apple has over Amazon is that Siri is installed on millions more devices than Alexa. They don't have to worry about their voice navigation platform dying out from lack of market penetration.
I love it, but sometimes my devices fight when I ask for something. Like Tuesday night for example, I asked my phone to skip a track, my phone was playing music while I was cutting my own hair in the bathroom. No doors closed, no one else was home, but the homepod started playing music in the kitchen with this request that was directed at the phone. So then I asked Siri to stop, what do you know, the phone took that request and stopped playing music while the homepod in the kitchen continued to play something random. So I had to stop what I was doing, pick up my phone and stop the homepod and resume my phone. Talk about a "smart home" fail.
Plan on getting a pair when they fall in price, which they do sometimes.
I’m looking for good sound, that will hook to my AppleTV in stereo, but also have great sound for music. Sonos is an option, but I prefer Siri over Alexa or Google Assistant...and I’ve tried them all. I like the Shortcuts I have set up for various things and I’m not a total Apple hater like so many here seem to be now.
I’m looking for good sound, that will hook to my AppleTV in stereo, but also have great sound for music. Sonos is an option, but I prefer Siri over Alexa or Google Assistant...and I’ve tried them all. I like the Shortcuts I have set up for various things and I’m not a total Apple hater like so many here seem to be now.
As it is the most unsmart, restrictive and expensive speaker on the market, it is a logical development.
The next OS goes into the right direction, but as it still will be unable to play MY music from MY server WITHOUT streaming help from another iOS device, there is a very long way to go.
Just let it do, what it could do and it will sell...
The next OS goes into the right direction, but as it still will be unable to play MY music from MY server WITHOUT streaming help from another iOS device, there is a very long way to go.
Just let it do, what it could do and it will sell...