Canalys: Apple 'Still Has Much to Prove' With HomePod Mini in Crowded Smart Speaker Market

[sracer]

Apple doesnt need to prove anything. The HomePod is a great speaker and people who want it and like it will buy it if they see the value in it. People who are fine with speakers that collect their data and sound like oversized cell phone speakers can keep their Amazon echo and google home.

Smart speaker sales continue to grow. The smart assistants attached to these speakers continue to improve.

Obviously Apple understands this and that is why they've introduced the HomePod Mini. By having a lower cost option, it will open the opportunity for more customers who are already in the Apple ecosystem the option of adding a smart speaker. Without that option, and with the growth in smart speaker sales, Apple runs the risk of having some of their customers slip away from the ecosystem.

One of the reasons why Apple has been so successful in retaining their customers is by giving them more options to be plugged into Apple's devices and services. It's called a "walled garden" for a reason. The HomePod Mini is an important piece of that.

What Apple has to "prove" with the HomePod Mini is that it is good enough for ecosystem denizens. The Mini doesn't have to be as good as or better than the alternatives... just good enough to keep customers in the fold.

The HomePod line is not a general purpose smart speaker option, but is smart speaker solution for those in the Apple ecosystem. Those are two different things.

 

[SDJim]

I concur. One thing that always amuses/frustrates me is when I tell Siri to turn off the lights in a room (philips hue bulbs), about 5% of the time, some but not all of the bulbs turn off. The other 95% of the time it’s great, but yeah weird glitches. I would have expected that from Amazon or Google but not Apple. Otherwise, I too love the HomePod.

... perhaps that’s a Philips thing though. My lutron Casetta switches seem to always work flawlessly (via Siri)

If you're using the Hue Bridge, then it is a deficiency with the Bridge. I used to have this same issue until I moved recently and placed my Bridge in the dead center of my house. Similarly to you, my HomeKit items that don't use a bridge always work with Siri without issue, even if far away from my HomePod.

 

[hot-gril]

The original too.

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Apple doesnt need to prove anything. The HomePod is a great speaker and people who want it and like it will buy it if they see the value in it. People who are fine with speakers that collect their data and sound like oversized cell phone speakers can keep their Amazon echo and google home.

They have a lot to prove to the market and the shareholders because not very many people are buying them. Apple even kills their own products if they don't sell well enough, so you should hope they do.

Btw, all of them collect your data and send back voice recordings for QA, Apple too. I don't have any in my house.

 

[hot-gril]

I'm thinking of trying a HomePod mini but I'm 5 speakers into Sonos and have no intention of changing. They don't sound like oversized cell phone speakers, and Siri works for sending music through Airplay to them just fine so no google or amazon either. There are more than 3 options in the game these days.

Dang, that sounds pretty nice. Cross-platform and still working well. AirPlay has always been one of Apple's best features.

 

[citysnaps]

I digress but it is amusing to see the crowd that values privacy okay with a device that is always listening. Not I am not talking about Apple devices specifically.

What a nice straw man. Are you not able to address what I wrote?

 

[Smorawski]

I'm genuinely curious about users complaining about this. If you live in Europe, what impedes you to buy one on eBay UK and ship it to your country? I'm 10.000 miles away from USA and managed to get one ??‍♂️

I was also mean to get Siri in my language as we have on our phones, of course I could buy from UK or DE, if I need to speak English to it ?

 

[hlfway2anywhere]

I digress but it is amusing to see the crowd that values privacy okay with a device that is always listening. Not I am not talking about Apple devices specifically.

It’s not the always listening part that I don’t like. Google Assistant, for example, REQUIRES web activity tracking to control devices in Google home which seem totally unrelated. Apple doesn’t do that, tries to process as much as it can on device, and let’s you choose whether or not your recordings are stored and used for QA.

 

[thefourthpope]

The focus with the HomePod still hasn't changed - it's still primarily about music consumption, with Siri being optimised for audio playback, which makes sense, because I don't think people are generally using voice assistants for anything else really. As such, that Siri is technically behind Alexa or Google Assistant is a non-issue because the reality is that consumers are not using the extra functionality that the competition is supposedly ahead in anyways.

I’m open that this could be true at scale. But for my family’s use, and for the friends and neighbors we are close with (I’m thinking of six other families) the assistant and speakers are for more than just music. Some use the intercom / send announcements, others set shopping lists, and two families do more complete “smart home” things like lights and doors.

 

[thefourthpope]

Setting EQ and and speaker cutoff frequencies aren’t professional features, they’re just nonsensical in a system that is using a bunch of electronics and software to automatically tune to the environment (HomePod does this continuously, Sonos does it on demand with TruePlay). It’s like looking at a car and complaining that there’s no place to put the saddle - complaining there’s no way to do tasks that no longer need to be done. Sonos has some limited controls for adjusting the sound, buried in the menus, but you’re better off not messing with them and letting TruePlay do the work of balancing the sound for the room - the results are spectacular.

And with the Move they brought all-the-time auto trueplay. Incredible speaker. But for most stationary speakers, you’re right: do the trueplay once and enjoy not needing to fiddle unless you rearrange furniture.

The manual granularity Sonos offers really shines in their surround settings. You can alter delays and specify positioning of speaker sets in intriguing ways.

 

[MiamiC70]

And with the Move they brought all-the-time auto trueplay. Incredible speaker. But for most stationary speakers, you’re right: do the trueplay once and enjoy not needing to fiddle unless you rearrange furniture.

The manual granularity Sonos offers really shines in their surround settings. You can alter delays and specify positioning of speaker sets in intriguing ways.

Exactly!

 

[harvardboi]

I want to like the HomePod, but Siri is just not as competent as Alexa. The smart speaker is about integration and the AI functions and the HomePod I have is just not remotely as effective or efficient as the Echos I have. Also, Siri integration in Sonos just the way Alexa does, would be great. My life is managed and run by Apple Products, with the exception of a virtual assistant and home audio. I hope Siri gets smarter!

 

[gcmexico]

Apple doesnt need to prove anything. The HomePod is a great speaker and people who want it and like it will buy it if they see the value in it. People who are fine with speakers that collect their data and sound like oversized cell phone speakers can keep their Amazon echo and google home.

exactly...the homepod is just fine...is it perfect no, but no smart speaker is...if you are in the apple ecosystem then the homepod is a no brainer and it is only getting better...Apple always take there time to implement features that have been around for awhile but they do it better

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Not deceptive. HomePod doesn't compete in the rechargeable speaker market.

But that's not the point I'm trying to make. How many companies make corded portable speakers? Apple does. Why? Umm, apparently there are a lot of people that either like the idea of 'soap on a rope' speakers, or will defend Apple no matter what they ship.

I was somewhat shocked to find out that the Apple 'portable speaker' was not rechargeable. Somehow I never was made aware of the fact that it had a leash, and that NONE OF THE ADS show the leash. Forgive me for not assuming that a portable looking speaker would have a leash. I guess I can understand why I saw three of them with the Open Box label of shame at the local Last Try. I'd be very disappointed to find out it needed a leash, since none of the ads show it.

EDIT: Couldn't they have made the Homepod sit on a dedicated charging base, and have it be both a leashed non-portable speaker, and an unleashed portable speaker? Best of both worlds! Win-win?

 

[gcmexico]

I don‘t get the hate on Homepod and Siri...I have over 100 devices connected on my network everything I can automate through homekit is and if not I use hoobs to connect it to homekit (Ring Security System, dyson)...everything works...is it perfect no, but neither is Alexa or Google, I use to have full Alexa integration, and it sucked especially with the Apple ecosystem...I‘m going to have to blame user setup for most issues, homekit needs to be configured properly to work flawlessly...if you have any devices sitting on ‘not responding“ and you just leave it there, it‘s your fault and that one device will interfer with the whole system...I just wish Apple still sold Wifi routers, because that plays a big part too, only wifi that works really well with homekit is Eero, there should be an Apple Router...Siri is fine for what you need...never used google in my automation, all I can say from personal experience Homepod and homekit blows Alexa out of the water, there’s not even a dedicated hub for Alexa, the homekit app blows anything alexa is doing out of the water...period

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I don‘t get the hate on Homepod and Siri...I have over 100 devices connected on my network everything I can automate through homekit is and if not I use hoobs to connect it to homekit (Ring Security System, dyson)...everything works...is it perfect no, but neither is Alexa or Google, I use to have full Alexa integration, and it sucked especially with the Apple ecosystem...I‘m going to have to blame user setup for most issues, homekit needs to be configured properly to work flawlessly...if you have any devices sitting on ‘not responding“ and you just leave it there, it‘s your fault and that one device will interfer with the whole system...I just wish Apple still sold Wifi routers, because that plays a big part too, only wifi that works really well with homekit is Eero, there should be an Apple Router...Siri is fine for what you need...never used google in my automation, all I can say from personal experience Homepod and homekit blows Alexa out of the water, there’s not even a dedicated hub for Alexa, the homekit app blows anything alexa is doing out of the water...period

Homekit?

I got the Sylvania homekit kit, and still had to use their app, and they wanted to know way too much about me, and were supposedly monitoring when the lights came on and went off. That was TMI, and I didn't want them knowing that much about me. I quit using it. And Siri? I thought that 'Voice Command' worked far better than Siri. *shrug* In the beginning, I would ask Siri for something, and got the 'Huh?' and just got used to not using it. It was never usable, and I learned not to depend on it. Habit...

 

[I7guy]

But that's not the point I'm trying to make. How many companies make corded portable speakers? Apple does. Why? Umm, apparently there are a lot of people that either like the idea of 'soap on a rope' speakers, or will defend Apple no matter what they ship.

I was somewhat shocked to find out that the Apple 'portable speaker' was not rechargeable. Somehow I never was made aware of the fact that it had a leash, and that NONE OF THE ADS show the leash. Forgive me for not assuming that a portable looking speaker would have a leash. I guess I can understand why I saw three of them with the Open Box label of shame at the local Last Try. I'd be very disappointed to find out it needed a leash, since none of the ads show it.

EDIT: Couldn't they have made the Homepod sit on a dedicated charging base, and have it be both a leashed non-portable speaker, and an unleashed portable speaker? Best of both worlds! Win-win?

I give Apple props for making, hopefully, a compelling, non-rechargeable speaker for $99. I'm tired of all the rechargeable items in my house. Adding a battery to the homepod mini would make the speaker heavier, bigger, bulkier, would require a charging accessory that was Apple like and probably increase the price.

It was seemingly good design to design a low voltage solution so that it could be powered by sources other than the included charger. (The sound quality I'm assuming to be on par for the price point, but we won't know until the reviews hit)

 

[CarlJ]

But that's not the point I'm trying to make. How many companies make corded portable speakers? Apple does. Why? Umm, apparently there are a lot of people that either like the idea of 'soap on a rope' speakers, or will defend Apple no matter what they ship.

Who told you that the HomePod (full-size or mini) is portable? Basically all the smart speakers are corded - go look at Amazon, Google, Sonos, they’re all corded.

EDIT: Couldn't they have made the Homepod sit on a dedicated charging base, and have it be both a leashed non-portable speaker, and an unleashed portable speaker? Best of both worlds! Win-win?

That would both make the speaker bigger and heavier (batteries aren’t magical, they take space and weigh a lot), and raise the price. And they’ve sold a bunch of them to people who are happy having them sitting stationary and plugged in - you’d make all of those people take a unit that’s heavier and more expensive than the speaker they’re happy with - that doesn’t sound like a win-win.

If you want a portable speaker go buy a portable speaker.

 

[citysnaps]

But that's not the point I'm trying to make. How many companies make corded portable speakers? Apple does. Why? Umm, apparently there are a lot of people that either like the idea of 'soap on a rope' speakers, or will defend Apple no matter what they ship.

I was somewhat shocked to find out that the Apple 'portable speaker' was not rechargeable. Somehow I never was made aware of the fact that it had a leash, and that NONE OF THE ADS show the leash. Forgive me for not assuming that a portable looking speaker would have a leash. I guess I can understand why I saw three of them with the Open Box label of shame at the local Last Try. I'd be very disappointed to find out it needed a leash, since none of the ads show it.

EDIT: Couldn't they have made the Homepod sit on a dedicated charging base, and have it be both a leashed non-portable speaker, and an unleashed portable speaker? Best of both worlds! Win-win?

I have five HomePods in my home. A pair in my living room, a pair in my woodshop, and one in my wife's studio. And I'll probably purchase two HomePod Minis.

With that said... The LAST thing I want to worry about is charging devices (and worrying about them cutting out when power is depleted, and then being without music) that are INTENDED to be primarily stationary.

Apple got it absolutely right on that. They're not meant to be mobile speakers.

If you're looking for a mobile speaker, there are no doubt 100s of them out there. Simply choose one.

 

[citysnaps]

I don‘t get the hate on Homepod and Siri..

In brief... There are a lot of perpetually unhappy people out there. Siri and HomePod are entry points to have a good rant. In this case it's about Apple. That rant, often laced with juvenile snark, allows some to feel better about themselves, getting them through the day.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I have five HomePods in my home. A pair in my living room, a pair in my woodshop, and one in my wife's studio. And I'll probably purchase two HomePod Minis.

With that said... The LAST thing I want to worry about is charging devices (and worrying about them cutting out when power is depleted, and then being without music) that are INTENDED to be primarily stationary.

Apple got it absolutely right on that. They're not meant to be mobile speakers.

If you're looking for a mobile speaker, there are no doubt 100s of them out there. Simply choose one.

Gotcha...

See, I don't do Alexa, or any other 'smart' function, so my experiential bias is with 'smart dumb speakers'. I view the Homepods through that lens. But anyway, I'll step out of the discussion. Have fun. If I start using Siri, I might find a use for a Homepod.

 

[CJ Dorschel]

I have a number of HomePods and haven’t updated two as I preferred the bass and general sound of the original firmware 11.4.3. I updated others for the new features in HomePodOS 14.1 and tried to compare those with the two I haven’t updated to see if Apple brought back the sound quality but it’s impossible to determine the sound differences when they’re bouncing off one another.

I posted a few threads asking for advice as I’d like to update them esp with the improvements in AirPlay support, etc but I’m so afraid I’ll lose the sound quality as you cannot rollback updates.

Any advice or experience would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks!

 

[MiamiC70]

I have a number of HomePods and haven’t updated two as I preferred the bass and general sound of the original firmware 11.4.3. I updated others for the new features in HomePodOS 14.1 and tried to compare those with the two I haven’t updated to see if Apple brought back the sound quality but it’s impossible to determine the sound differences when they’re bouncing off one another.

I posted a few threads asking for advice as I’d like to update them esp with the improvements in AirPlay support, etc but I’m so afraid I’ll lose the sound quality as you cannot rollback updates.

Any advice or experience would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks!

Overwhelming, boomy bass (looking at you Beats) is NOT better sound. HomePods are at best tweeters with mediocre midrange speakers. You want bass add a sub.