I don't want a HomePod with a screen. I want a Center Stage camera accessory for AppleTV, with HomePod-quality microphones, that works with my existing TV and audio system. The problem during lockdown wasn't a lack of tablet-sized screens, it was a lack of a big screen everyone could see during family events, like Christmas.
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Apple's HomePod With a Screen Delayed Until Next Year at the Earliest
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In all sincerity, how do you personally use these devices? I have about a dozen echo dots, flexes, and a regular echo. What do you find yourself using the screen for?
Or perhaps Gurman got bogus information or has bad sources? I don’t know why people treat him and Kuo as the gospel.
That's OK. Life goes on.
And it's cost containing, so that Apple will not have massive employee layoffs that other companies (such as Microsoft, google, Meta/Facebook, Oracle, Zoom, Cisco, Dell, PayPal, Salesforce, HP, Dell, Yahoo, etc.) have had to endure over the last two years.
Hat-tip to Tim Cook and his outstanding leadership at Apple's helm during a major pandemic and economic downturn, caring about and looking after Apple's 165,000+ employees.
It's a hard pass for me. It looks silly...
The screen will be small, and watching anything on it excepting controls is going to be ridiculous, IMO. I had a 'tiny tv', and it was a huge joke. What would people watch on a screen that small? And wouldn't it encourage people to use them in their cars causing mass distraction and accidents? And watch it on a plane? Why? I just don't get it. But if it does come out, and enough people buy them, it'll have updates, and maybe one of them (A HomePod Pro Max?) would be usable. *shrug*
The screen will be small, and watching anything on it excepting controls is going to be ridiculous, IMO. I had a 'tiny tv', and it was a huge joke. What would people watch on a screen that small? And wouldn't it encourage people to use them in their cars causing mass distraction and accidents? And watch it on a plane? Why? I just don't get it. But if it does come out, and enough people buy them, it'll have updates, and maybe one of them (A HomePod Pro Max?) would be usable. *shrug*
Perhaps it's time to vote with your wallet and embrace other tech companies with your currency and finally find happiness with others' superior products.
Will you commit to doing that?
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
This seems like such an obvious application of at least the "Continuity Camera" option (using an iDevice camera on a clip attached to a screen). That's only some software in macOS and/or iOS- both of which are a close cousin of tvOS. It's hard to imagine why Apple could not implement the same software in tvOS and Belkin or similar offer the same clip-type product (holder) for television bezels.
This want- leveraging TV + AppleTV for some family Face-time/Skype/Zoom- is popular, often manifesting in imagined creations like the Frankenstein product (soundbar + camera + appleTV + router + coffee maker + <other things>) but this would be so much better than the Frankenstein... and the software already exists and works... and it could put good use to existing or former iDevices. Frankenstein would be expensive and doomed by the built-in AppleTV being made obsolete long before the rest... and the absolute placement requirements (for the camera to work properly) would limit it to only those who lean on soundbars now.
AppleTV seems to be the almost neglected player in the lineup at each WWDC. It often gets just ONE standout thing at best. This seems like the obvious ONE new feature this year... because the bulk of the work has already been done for Macs & iDevices (camera).
Personally, I'd prefer this your way vs. Continuity Camera but either option is better than nothing. I'd have zero personal interest in the Frankenstein.
That is why, if it's like previous HomePods and requires a cord, it will be a dud. I'm sure people want an extension cord maze to power the thing so they can see what the small screen is showing while sitting on their couch or patio. Yeah, that would be a brilliant idea. To not sell more than a couple hundred of them. Oops...
But how would we ever know. So many 'well sourced leaks' have turned out to be dead wrong. If I were Apple... I'd feed leakers bad info, info to minimize the features of a new product so that when it comes out, it's a smash hit.
I’d like to see a full size fully featured HomePod stereo pair with Apple TV that includes boosted gaming ability. But problem is speaker systems sill last years (one would hope!) but Apple TV and gaming features would probs need to have regular updates to hardware to stay current so probably a dumb desire
And of course when Apple release the AR spectacles in 5-10 years who would need a TV screen for viewing media, just designate a virtual area of wall and watch whatever on the virtual screen alone, in a group, in a shared FaceTime call etc.
Yeah, that Apple Silicon nonsense (and products built upon it - computers, phones, tablets, watches, HomePods, etc) has sure been a bust.
Tim Cook needs a good firing.
I definitely have to wonder why they can't do that. For example, why doesn't the iMac now have an M2 chip? Surely when they release a new chip they should have a design that allows them to bump the entire range, rather than leave categories like the iMac and Mac Studio languishing on an older chip. It's weird to have a Mac Mini that's faster and cheaper than the Mac Studio.
A HomePod depicting a FaceTime call as in this mock does not seem practical one bit for numerous reasons.
“well-connected Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman…”
no. stop. I’m done with this. Gurman is not well-connected, he is an absolute master at throwing s—t at the wall and seeing what sticks, while doing double-time as an echo machine for ACTUALLY well-connected people like Kuo, Young, and (seemingly?) ShrimpApplePro.
MR, I get that it’s your job to report on rumors from across the web. here’s something that that is factually correct and not a rumor: “well-connected” is the least accurate way to describe Gurman.
no. stop. I’m done with this. Gurman is not well-connected, he is an absolute master at throwing s—t at the wall and seeing what sticks, while doing double-time as an echo machine for ACTUALLY well-connected people like Kuo, Young, and (seemingly?) ShrimpApplePro.
MR, I get that it’s your job to report on rumors from across the web. here’s something that that is factually correct and not a rumor: “well-connected” is the least accurate way to describe Gurman.
I absolutely do, while your product idea is a good one, it wouldn't allow more people to drop Google and Amazon Echo's with screens
And what about MBA15? It was all the rage until Yellow iPhone, and now chirp chirp chirp
Reading this thread is interesting to me. There are so many people that are frustrated with the idea that this is a possible stats change on a rumored product. I understand, and even agree with, the premise of "How can a device that hasn't been announced be considered delayed?" but this is an entire website built around rumor, and these are the nature of rumors.
I mean absolutely no disrespect to the people making these arguments
I mean absolutely no disrespect to the people making these arguments
Obviously Apple is delaying alot of things so that they can continue with their ultra reliable quality control. And, to insure the vast majority of users enjoy a stellar and bug free experience.
And then I woke up on the Nebuchadnezzar and learned kung fu.
And then I woke up on the Nebuchadnezzar and learned kung fu.
… and the iPad calculator app has been delayed until 2027. 😏
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