Barclays Says AirPods Continue to Grow, HomePod Sales Have Been Underwhelming

[LarryJoe33]

Long thread and I am sure this has been said or mentioned. I was looking forward to the homepod and would consider dropping $350. I love good sound and Apple integration. I checked it out in the Apple store and was not impressed by the sound. I realize a wide open loud store does not provide the best acoustics, but it left a lot to be desired. It should sound much better than in did it any environment. Just underwhelming in summary.

I will stick with my $79 Echo which I really only use as a bluetooth speaker to connect to my iphone. A simple Alexa connect to Joe's iphone and it connected and it sound pretty good for a counter top speaker. (I never use Alexa).

 

[AppleScruff1]

Thanks, I’ve been thinking about some wireless headphones for a while and think the AirPods are kinda overpriced BUT, they seem incredibly popular and are one cool little gadget! I’ve tested out some makes including Beats and don’t like their sound. I prefer the more natural sound that Apple goes for.

Plus I’ll be moving to the iPhone X or 11 later this year.

I have the AirPods and I enjoy them. They don’t sound like a good set of Sennheisers, but they aren’t supposed to. They are featherweight, and if they fit your ears you hardly feel them. I know they don’t sound like earphones or headphones costing several times the price. They are Bluetooth, and they have occasional sound interruption, but not that frequently. The charging case is slick too, it’s a cool package and IMO, the most Apple like product in years.

 

[deanthedev]

Had Homepod for a few days, and couldn't wait to return it, whereas Alexa can control my Logitech hub, Nest thermostat and a few other peripherals. All it has going for it is small speaker sound quality. Apple has a long development road ahead before it reaches the current intelligence of Google/Amazon.

The reason those products don't work isn't because of Apple - it's because of the manufacturers not adding support. Considering Apple has much stricter requirements regarding security (like encryption) and privacy, I can understand why some companies have been slow to add HomeKit support.

I have numerous HomeKit compatible peripherals. I originally started out with a single smart lock on the front door so my kids could come home from school and wouldn't need to carry any keys. After that it was lighting for my theatre/rec room. Now I have numerous light, thermostats, door locks, security camera, wall switches/dimmers, window shades and a garage door opener. I'm only waiting on support for water sprinklers (which I have seen announced this year). I have things automated using several "scenes" which handle pretty much every scenario I can come up with. Considering how well everything works for me, I'm really curious what features I'm supposedly missing.

I don't have a HomePod yet (hurry up and get them to Canada already), but from what others have said HomePod will control my devices and scenes exactly the way it does now on my iPhone. Except that with the much better mics it picks up commands easier.

 

[BeamWalker]

I was thinking about buying a Homepod but I couldn't really find a use-case for it. I have a surround system in the living room which is also used for music, and in my office I need Reference audio due to my work with Media files. I don't really feel the need to spent 300 bucks for a speaker for the kitchen, a room I'm in 10 minutes a day - also with the fact that my girlfriend has an Android phone the Homepod is way too much of a one-trick-pony.

 

[Justinb51]

what did they expect? siri is absolute *******. the fact that the speaker is very good doesn't help much when you consider that doesn't even have an input.
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Fuuny, but true. They look awful and they fit awful - but the convenience is amazing. i have two iphones, two macbooks, and as cringey as this sounds...it just works. I also hacked together wireless charging using the method going around on the internet and it really does make it worthwhile.

Wireless charging mod.... Thanks, googled and parts ordered! I don't know why I didn't think of that earlier?

 

[lec0rsaire]

Underwhelming HomePod demand is not surprising given that it just isn’t a must have revolutionary product. The most loyal Apple fans will want to have one as always but it just isn’t something that most people need. Add to that the limitations of being tied to iTunes and Apple Music, and you basically shut out lots of people who simply want more choice.

While the Apple Watch requires an iPhone, it offers much more utility than a home speaker. Having the time on your wrist, boarding passes, hotel rooms, tracking exercise, notifications without pulling out your phone and on and on.

Most people already have at least a stereo setup at home. An Apple TV connected to a receiver will offer the benefits of Airplay but with higher fidelity sound depending on one’s setup.

 

[HailstormX]

I plan on getting another one but not until they update the software for pairing

 

[62tele]

I was sure I wouldn't buy a HomePod. However, I decided to pick one up with the idea that I would return it if underwhelmed.
To my surprise I'm keeping it.
The sound quality is equal to or better than the Sonos it replaced.
Regarding its "smart" features, it has done everything I've asked with the exception of making an appointment. It handles my reminders, weather and news requests, timer, texts, etc. I like the convenience of having it play my playlists, adjust volume etc.
I'm surprised it doesn't allow access to Calendar but I'm sure that is coming.

 

[Shabbis]

I'd like to see a battery powered one so that I could move it from room to room, take it out on the deck, etc.

 

[lec0rsaire]

I was thinking about buying a Homepod but I couldn't really find a use-case for it. I have a surround system in the living room which is also used for music, and in my office I need Reference audio due to my work with Media files. I don't really feel the need to spent 300 bucks for a speaker for the kitchen, a room I'm in 10 minutes a day - also with the fact that my girlfriend has an Android phone the Homepod is way too much of a one-trick-pony.

Exactly. I have have a decent receiver with 5.1 and decent speakers. Although it’s not a reference setup by any means, for the money the sound reproduction is more than good enough. I can play back CDs through a Blu-Ray player when I want the best quality possible, use AirPlay or just stream my library with the ATV4 when I want convenience. I think stuff like the HomePod will be more popular with the soundbar crowd that likes simplicity and doesn’t know or want to take the time to wire a true surround system. Sometimes it just isn’t possible to due the layout of the room.

 

[shk718]

I'd consider the HomePod if it had Digital audio input and I could use 2 of them as Stereo Speakers for my TV/Audio System.

Unfortunately, this thing has no wired audio inputs at all. Lol not buying this. Nice try Apple. Keep trying. Maybe someday you'll get it "right".

Wires are a thing of the past. Wireless speakers are the future - more versatile and less complicated. Instead of looking at it as a limitation of the HomePod - look at it as a limitation of your receiver - it should be able to airPlay to the HomePod - or any other wireless speaker or headset.

 

[Mabsport]

It is way over priced for its limited capabilities.

 

[cardfan]

I grabbed a Homepod just to screw around with it. Apple music sounds great. Anything over airplay? Not so great. Apple tv over this? Ouch. And then you see it on discount today at ebay for around 270. I grabbed that one and took the other back. I can live with an apple music speaker for the 270 but Apple really needs to work on its services, software, and of course Siri.

 

[Edsel]

I listen to music all day long. I love my HomePod. It's adaptive acoustics are amazing! Airplay 2 will ameliorate its initial release issues.

 

[MrBat]

Wires are a thing of the past. Wireless speakers are the future - more versatile and less complicated. Instead of looking at it as a limitation of the HomePod - look at it as a limitation of your receiver - it should be able to airPlay to the HomePod - or any other wireless speaker or headset.

Maybe in 10 years. So far, Wired is better and compatible with anything, not just Apple and this Siri joke that Apple has. Could not care less about Siri not any other AI companion.

 

[LaraCroft835]

View attachment 753868

Can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want this entirely competent assistant for the low price of $350

So your using an iPhone in the pic, and yet bitchin about the speaker price. So I sit here with my HomePod and asked it to play that very same song and no problems.

 

[EdT]

You bring up some very good points in your well thought out post. I’m thinking that the iOS market alone is huge and Apple is satisfied with this, at least initially. There are a few hundred million iPhones of recent vintage in use today. That is a huge potential customer base, and Apple certainly has a loyal group of customers. And Apple loves captive customers.

I also think Apple prefers to keep a higher profit margin instead of an even larger market share. Plus it will sell more Apple Music subscriptions which is typical Apple. IMO, Apple sells a good product at a premium price and healthy profit margin. But there is more money to made with each customer, using proprietary connectors so there are dongles to be sold, buy a HomePod- you have to sign up for a monthly subscription to Apple Music. Then we have the storage capacity upgrades, RAM upgrades at big profit, increased iCloud storage for a monthly fee, etc. I think it all fits into Apple’s business model quite well.

I agree with your reasoning about why Apple made it so Apple-centric, but I remember other companies that did similar things and you get away with it for a while but as soon as some shiny device from another company becomes the hot item then people drop your device and it’s hard to get them back. I’m thinking specifically about Sony and their Walkman line. First a tape player, which sold well, then a portable CD player, which also sold well, but then came their digital Walkman with a proprietary music format ATRAC, which never caught on while MP3 players did, even though ATRAC files had better sound than other formats of the time. The following is from a Wired article:

“The biggest problem: If you wanted to listen to ATRAC files, you were required to use Sony software and hardware, and Sony's offerings never took off like the iPod.”

-end of article quote.

Sony went from top of the pack to forgotten in portable audio. It took over 10 years, but forcing a proprietary format and hardware on people gradually eroded their customer base.

 

[WilliamG]

since you are using the word infinite....."it sounds infinitely better than amazon and google options"

No joke. I love my HomePod. It does EXACTLY what I NEED it to do, - not always what I WANT it to do.

1.) It sounds amazing, blowing away Google/Amazon's offerings.
2.) I can turn on and off my lights etc with it just fine.

But it would be nice if I could do some even SLIGHTLY advanced things, like... currently, to turn off my kitchen light and my dining-room light I have to say:

1.) Hey Siri, turn off the kitchen light.

wait...

2.) Hey Siri, turn off the dining-room light.

Why in the living hells can't I say, "Hey Siri, turn off my kitchen light and my dining-room light."

Is that so outlandish? Seriously...

 

[krause734]

People buy more Apple products now than they did when Steve was alive.

That's because some of these products were in the pipeline while Steve was there. They can't rest on his laurels forever. I'm not very enthused about Apple anymore and I know many Apple fans feel the same way or are starting to feel that way. They're making too many mistakes and not knowing their market IMO.

 

[apolloa]

I have the AirPods and I enjoy them. They don’t sound like a good set of Sennheisers, but they aren’t supposed to. They are featherweight, and if they fit your ears you hardly feel them. I know they don’t sound like earphones or headphones costing several times the price. They are Bluetooth, and they have occasional sound interruption, but not that frequently. The charging case is slick too, it’s a cool package and IMO, the most Apple like product in years.

I have a pair of Sennheisers but my ears aren’t really made for the in ear buds so they lose lots of bass, but the EarPods that came with my 6S for ok and I get the bass.

Plus bar the price and the bit of a daft look I have thought the AirPods as a really cool gadget, and they will work well with any Apple product.

 

[Mannaerts]

So i can't connect airpods or a bluetooth headphone to the HP?

 

[Beenblacklisted]

No Spanish language support, there goes half a billion potential customers

 

[mi7chy]

I grabbed a Homepod just to screw around with it. Apple music sounds great. Anything over airplay? Not so great. Apple tv over this? Ouch. And then you see it on discount today at ebay for around 270. I grabbed that one and took the other back. I can live with an apple music speaker for the 270 but Apple really needs to work on its services, software, and of course Siri.

Have you checked locally? I see new sealed space gray Homepod on CL for $225.

 

[dazz87]

Even hardcore apple fans cant even jump on board on this. Overprice and its using Siri........ smh

 

[bgutierrez]

So...
- Phones, especially the iPhone X, aren't selling.
- Homepod isn't selling in the tens of millions
- Apple Watch isn't selling in the tens of millions
- Mac's are Meh!
- iPads? Who uses a tablet these days.

Result?
- Apple is doomed. Sell, sell, sell.