Apple's HomePod Plans: What's in the Works for 2023 and Beyond

[VampyricGentleman]

I’d love a HomePod with a screen, though I doubt it would ever happen as it would eat into iPad territory too much.

If they did do it I’d hope they would like the current HomePods not count it towards your maximum number of devices on your Apple ID

 

[nutmac]

I would buy HomePod mini for every bedroom in the house if it has:

• Small display that displays the current time or timer status
• Processor capable of on-device Siri
• HealthKit Sleep schedule integration with wake up alarm

 

[kiranmk2]

Come on, this is Apple - any new HomePod will be at least $229 if not $249. Also, surely an AppleTV + Homepod will need to be a soundbar (with Dolby Atmos upward firing drivers) and preferably a Centre Stage camera built in for FaceTime. I'd also guess that the new Homepods will feature upward firing drivers for use with spacial audio in Apple Music and to act as Atmost rears in combination with the AppleTV Soundbar.

In terms of Siri, they don't need a whole lot more but make what it can do rock solid and a bit more context/conversational aware. The report leaked from Amazon found people want to do limited things with their smart speakers, so just make sure that those things are handled perfectly)

 

[siddavis]

As silly as it sounds I think they need to make them more for fun for kids. Mother in law had an Alexa which can do 40 different types of fart sounds which my kids love.. as a result, Santa delivered an Alexa! It bugs me having to have an Amazon product in the house.. come on Timmy make the home pod do fart sounds

That’s not silly. They should’ve learned this from the thousands of fart apps at the beginning of the App Store.

 

[SkimPappa]

I just want to be able to use a HomePod as a blue tooth speaker without having wifi. I don’t own one but would buy one if I didn’t have to have Wi-Fi.

 

[newyorksole]

I luckily bought two original HomePods for the price of one when I worked at the Apple Store.

I love them and am very excited to see what happens to them next. I will gladly upgrade.

 

[Zilong]

Can't wait it

 

[NightFlight]

They really need to focus on improving Siri, first and foremost. It's terrible, especially for a speaker that exists mainly for music playback.

This, 100%.

Siri is TRASH compared to Google Assistant. It's like they stopped developing/improving it 5 years ago.

 

[coachgq]

I wish they would do big HomePods as front speakers and center channel. HomePod minis as rear satellite speakers.

 

[Jbusick7944]

I always thought that “…to focus more on the mini…” was a dumb line. Focus on what?

 

[dwaltwhit]

They took too long coming out with the homepod originally and I succumbed to the echo. I now have 10 various echo devices along with lights and switches and accoutrements. Unless the next homepod is compatible, I will sadly never know the awesomeness of it.

 

[BGPL]

Not super dependable and Siri is just downright awful. I hate to say it, but the Echo Studio with Alexa is far more capable and dependable. Alexa integrates with everything, including every smart home device I have, which is up around 100 now.

 

[Itinj24]

As silly as it sounds I think they need to make them more for fun for kids. Mother in law had an Alexa which can do 40 different types of fart sounds which my kids love.. as a result, Santa delivered an Alexa! It bugs me having to have an Amazon product in the house.. come on Timmy make the home pod do fart sounds

I guess you didn’t get the memo. Oh does the HomePod fart ever…

Just Google HomePod farting…

 

[t0rqx]

One more failed product, chasing the competition. You would get free Google speakers with everything you bought. Nowadays they are nowhere to be seen. I doubt Apple will put any effort into this.

 

[goobot]

I have two paired HPs and two paired minis all hooked up to play together, the SOUND of which is just… everything I want - but they are a pig to manage. I just can’t understand why Apple put so much effort into making them sound great then went and made such a mess of how users might interract with them. I’m now in the strange situation where I have an Apple product which I love but which I could never possibly recommend to anyone else.

Unfortunately the new norm for apple is great hardware with terrible software, ironic being that used to be the opposite

 

[CarAnalogy]

As silly as it sounds I think they need to make them more for fun for kids. Mother in law had an Alexa which can do 40 different types of fart sounds which my kids love.. as a result, Santa delivered an Alexa! It bugs me having to have an Amazon product in the house.. come on Timmy make the home pod do fart sounds

 

[alissa914g]

I would absolutely love small ipod Classic sized speakers that you could stick on the wall and gain 7.1 audio if you get a 7 pack.

 

[jlstephan]

I just want one with a clock. Believe me or not.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Apple always seem to know what they are doing.

The OG HomePod was too expensive, didnt sell well, and the software wasnt up to scratch including SIRI capabilities when compared to the competition.

It had to go......

But how clever... bring out the mini..... it sounds OK, but create the hunger for the bigger larger more expensive model that never existed before..... absence makes the heart grow fonder after all.

I think it will look like a squat version of the OG, slightly smaller, and a much better audio than the mini.


THAT SAID...

the software is STILL horrible - not so much SIRI but the home app, and the multi room music performance of the minis. Theres no point reintroducing more expensive models that still simply don't work reliably.

My original HomePods sound and work great. IMO they were a bargain at the price; the problem was that many users in the market space that the HomePods sell into fail to appreciate good sounding speakers, so they prefer the $99 crap smart speaker category that Amazon led folks into.

Siri also works fine for me, although the way Apple manages music is still poor. IMO there is a market space for good sounding speakers similar to the original HomePods. Smaller than the market for $99 mediocre sounding Minis, but large enough to justify having a pricier sound-competent HomePod version with all the latest Thread/Matter bells and whistles.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I would like an outdoor model that's a bit resistant to the elements.

I had a Mini under my gazebo where it never rained directly, but in the span of May to September it died, most likely from humidity, though it was never rained on directly as I kept a clear plastic cup over it.

There are lots of cheapy outdoor-specific speakers on the market. No smallish speakers will ever sound really good outside, however. It is just how acoustics work. Take the great-sounding HP originals and put them outside or in a really large room and the little speakers will be overdriven.

 

[yeak]

Every time Apple ventured into something in our life, that thing had increased price.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

The original HP just wasn't competitive enough to be successful. Sure some people liked it, but there were so many options to get a decent speaker that was also a significantly better voice assistant (lol @ Siri) for a lot less money and people ultimately bought them instead.

That's why we have the homepod mini, Apple knew they needed a way more competitive device and it is very good.

Totally different products. One is a great sounding self-adjusting bookshelf speaker and the other is a small cheap communications device poor for music sound quality.

 

[svish]

Will be nice if Apple brings back the normal HomePod. Wishing to see it in many colors.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Every time Apple ventured into something in our life, that thing had increased price.

But you fail to grasp the critical reality: Every time Apple ventured into something in our life, that thing had increased competence.

 

[citysnaps]

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