HomePod Do you think HomePod will end up being dropped from Apple’s line up soon?

[Falhófnir]

They will probably just leave it untouched on sale for the next 4 years to recoup R&D costs, doing a production run when they need to and after that time see if it warrants a replacement.

 

[ipedro]

It’s nothing like the the iPod Hi-Fi!

That relied on you owning all your own music purchased or ripped into iTunes, you had a Mac computer and owned an iPod. HomePod couldn’t be further from that situation.

Its designed to work with Apple’s music streaming service and designed to deliver that content with a very high quality optimised sound.

Right. Apple Music has now surpassed Spotify’s paid accounts in the US and is growing faster than Spotify internationally. As Apple Music moves into an inevitable leading position as the music streaming service, HomePod will be AppleMusic’s native speaker.

Apple is making a long term bet and has virtually perfect hardware that doesn’t need any updates. Improvements will come in software — they already are, at a faster than annual upgrade cycle. Apple just needs to sit back and accumulate a user base. Like AppleWatch, there’ll suddenly be HomePods everywhere.

 

[Shanghaichica]

No. They need a smart speaker. AI is only going to become more and more important in the future.

 

[ipedro]

Either they open it up, or belly up is the only way for this speaker.

They have been there with the Boombox,

excellent quality and sound, but limited to iPod, now they have the same quality and sound value,but limited to Siri / Apple music.

The price is high but not the major issue, open it up(sowftware wise) and see sale soaring!

It has already been opened up. Wide open, really. Going from a Siri API where Apple controlled the throttle, slowly adding app types, with Siri Shortcuts, Apple put developers in the driver’s seat. Siri Shortcuts allow any iOS app to work through Siri, and by extension, on HomePod.

Nothing is stopping Spotify from building rich Siri Shortcuts that allow it to work on HomePod, virtually like a native music player. Pandora already does.

 

[YaBe]

It has already been opened up. Wide open, really. Going from a Siri API where Apple controlled the throttle, slowly adding app types, with Siri Shortcuts, Apple put developers in the driver’s seat. Siri Shortcuts allow any iOS app to work through Siri, and by extension, on HomePod.

Nothing is stopping Spotify from building rich Siri Shortcuts that allow it to work on HomePod, virtually like a native music player. Pandora already does.

So much for "it just works".....