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HomePod Can Be Used as Speakerphone, Will Support Commands From Multiple Users
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In settings there's suppose to be where you can turn off hey siri when you are in range of the homepod
For 319, you can do so much better than. HomePod. I know I have not listened to it. But I have listened to bookshelf speakers in 300 range and they will blow away HomePod in sound. I don't know what is so good about HomePod. People who loves beats headphones, HomePod is perfect for them.
Well exactly you don't know if you can or not as It isn't out yet. You are simply guessing what the sound will be like. It's suppose to be very good and nobody knows how it compares to the top sound speakers...if it does what apple says then it will be better than the comp
Let me add a couple more categories: iTunes songs stored on a Mac and songs stored on a Mac but not added to iTunes.
Let’s limit all of Apple Executives to a 3 mb download speed (advertised) with a real download speed of 500 kB to 1.5 mb. If a majority of these senior managers say they are fine with this speed limitation as it relates to streaming AND they aren’t lying then after 3 months I will buy one.
You certainly make some good points. (About what problems does it solve?) I am buying one because I like to listen to music, but you're right: after reading about the Hey Siri functionality, I thought to myself, but I already have that on my wrist with my Apple Watch, I have an iPad in the kitchen and an iPad in the bedroom, I have my iPhone...so I'm not sure how the HomePod will appear magical to me. Apple products often please me, so hopefully I'm wrong. But anyway, after reading your thoughts I can see where you're coming from and it's making me rethink my stance.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
If stereo/multi room/air play 2 was the holdup, and continues to be, why on earth didn’t they launch it like this ahead of the holidays? What a clustercluck.
…I’m just salty I can’t get it before Saturday’s Hottest 100.
…I’m just salty I can’t get it before Saturday’s Hottest 100.
[doublepost=1516766655][/doublepost]While I appreciate the detail on this entry into the smart speaker market, the ONLY way I would buy one is if the functionality were dynamic enough to allow multiple Apple Music account usage. It's pointless otherwise.
Apple this morning announced the official launch date for its much-anticipated HomePod, and that announcement included several new details that we hadn't previously heard about the Siri-equipped smart speaker.
In the HomePod press release, Apple says HomePod can be used as a speakerphone with the iPhone "for crisp and clear audio quality."
This means users will be able to take calls on the HomePod using a nearby iPhone, with the HomePod able to serve as a speaker and a microphone for the call. Further documentation shared with Apple Store staff (via Guilherme Rambo) says that this feature will allow "anyone" to make a call on their iPhone and then hand it off to the HomePod.HomePod will not be limited to a single user, as suggested and confirmed in the HomePod documentation. Once the HomePod is set up, anyone in the home will be able to listen to music using the Apple Music account installed on the device, and anyone will be able to ask Siri questions.HomePod is primarily designed to work with an Apple Music account, and while it does support Bluetooth 5.0, it's not yet clear if it will support playing music directly to the device from an iPhone or another smartphone. It will, however, support peer-to-peer AirPlay, so you can play content from third-party music apps on the HomePod using AirPlay.
Sans Apple Music subscription, though, HomePod will be able to play content that's been purchased from iTunes along with Beats 1 radio content and podcasts.
As Apple shared earlier this morning, HomePod will eventually support multi-room playback and stereo sound by linking one or more HomePods together using the new AirPlay 2 protocol, but that functionality will not be available at launch.
At launch, HomePod will be available in the United States, UK, and Australia. In the U.S., it will be priced at $349, and it will cost GBP319 in the UK and $499 in Australia.
Apple will begin accepting orders for the HomePod on Friday, January 26, with the device set to launch two weeks later on Friday, February 9.
Article Link: HomePod Can Be Used as Speakerphone, Will Support Commands From Multiple Users
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Bryan -- I am of similar thoughts on this. Without multiple account (music, etc) capability, what would be the point of this first gen device? It should be able to support 2 to 5 accounts across the board - full functionality for every account.
Again... without support for multiple Apple Music accounts (full functionality for 2 to 5 users), I don't know how willing I am to be to fork over the cash for the first gen.
I think Apple and Apple apologists (as I have been for years until recently) have been hiding behind that "protecting privacy" argument as a primary reason for Siri lacking functionality (I.e. sucking). I think the real reason is that Apple simply doesn't have the infrastructure needed for Siri to be as effective as Alexa or Google Assistant, while Amazon and Google do have the infrastructure and capacity.
That's why iCloud Drive lacks functionality compared to Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.
Right now if my iPad is next to my iPhone saying “hey Siri” will prompt both devices .
This news about Home Pod makes it seem more attractive than first reports from 2017, in two ways: it handles telephone calls (sort of), and you put two of them together in a room, once Airplay 2 gets released, you will have genuine stereo and not just a pair of monophonic speakers. Still,I have to say that in MacRumors' report the telephone feature sounds more than a little half-assed. Evidently you have to have an iPhone with you and initiate or receive a call with it, and only then can you throw the call onto the HomePod. This is very different from what I can do with my iPad, where I can use it as a full-service phone as long as I have an iPhone joined up to the same wi-fi network. Why couldn't Apple have done a complete job of porting FaceTime Audio to this new platform?? Far nore important, I had hoped that the two-month delay in releasing HomePod was because Apple was simultaneously going to release a new and significantly improved Siri 2. No dice. As matters stand, HomePod is going to make it even more obvious than it already was that Siri lags behind competitive voice-active services, especially in the all-important area of voice comprehension. If HomePod doesn't do well in the marketplace, the chief reason is because Siri's increasingly evil reputation is dragging it down. The only way purchasing a HomePod makes sense is if you keep reminding yourself that all its current weaknesses can at least potentially be cured by future software updates and if you are enough of an optimist to believe Apple will make this happen. Considered by itself, the hardware platform sounds very attractive indeed.
I'm no fan. Siri struggles to understand my accent so anything more complex than setting the timer usually ends in frustration and an outburst of swearing.
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The Dollar has recently slumped against the Pound which is one advantage from the HomePod being late to arrive.
This is incorrect. You can of course initiate calls and text messages from the HomePod without using your phone. There is only one Apple ID logged into the HomePod, however, which means for all other accounts you can only transfer an in-progress call to the HomePod to act as a speakerphone.
This is true, but since I don't use Apple Music and don't download any moves or shows from the iTune store, my usage of the Siri functions is pretty limited. Play/pause and volume adjustment is pretty much all the voice control I need for now.
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It's weird, sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I actually feel like Alexa is getting dumber and is slower doing a lot of stuff now.
Feels DOA.
Not adding anything new to market. Siri is mediocre. High price point. Can only use Apple ecosystem forever, so if I buy 3 of these, and switch to YouTube or Spotify this becomes useless.
And Apple is slow and lumbering with this. Google and Amazon and the huge ecosystems around their products are moving fast. Apple is being out innovated.
I think Apple really missed the boat on this. I bet they sell terribly.
Not adding anything new to market. Siri is mediocre. High price point. Can only use Apple ecosystem forever, so if I buy 3 of these, and switch to YouTube or Spotify this becomes useless.
And Apple is slow and lumbering with this. Google and Amazon and the huge ecosystems around their products are moving fast. Apple is being out innovated.
I think Apple really missed the boat on this. I bet they sell terribly.
French language support. Apple will need to get full french capabilities before it'll pass regulations for sale due to our bi-lingual regulations.
“Hey Siri, turn on the Apple TV”.
“I’m sorry, I can’t do that”
“What the.....”
Siri has a loooong way to go.
“I’m sorry, I can’t do that”
“What the.....”
Siri has a loooong way to go.