HomePod HomePod Discontinued... Discussion.

[The-Real-Deal82]

I completely agree. I used to own an echo second generation and I currently own an echo show 8. Both sounded very decent. That’s not even considering the echo plus and the studio or echo show 10, all of which sound even better than the aforementioned speakers.

Yeah not sure why he thinks Amazon only sell the echo Dot? Probably because he has never actually looked at what they are, hence doesn’t really have a clue what the HomePod is competing against. I’ve always been happy with the sound quality of my Echo Pluses, but when I want a real immersive music experience I listen through headphones anyway. The speakers are just background noise really in my home.

 

[AEWest]

Whatever opinion people have, the fact is that HomePod failed in the marketplace. For some on this forum, it is the most successful failed product in history!

The question now is where does Apple go from here? I firmly believe that Apple figured the Homepod would duplicate the success of the Airpods - get the Apple users to buy into it with an Apple Music subscription and they would be willing to shell out $350 for a single speaker.

Unfortunately not enough did. I have come to realize that many people don't care about good quality audio for music at home - my wife is happy to listen to a song on the crappy sounding google nest hub I have in the kitchen, rather than go to the family room with a much better sounding Sonos system.

But it seems that for TVs many people will shell out for soundbars because movies and streamers such as Netflix really spend a lot of time and money on audio quality to immerse their audience in the show. And current TVs have crappy built in Audio.

I think Apple needs to explore this market that they have no presence in.

 

[dotnet]

I have come to realize that many people don't care about good quality audio for music at home

Perhaps it’s just a narrow band between people who don’t care and can’t be bothered spending on sound quality, and people who care a lot and aren’t satisfied with the sound quality the Homepod offers.

 

[ipponrg]

Whatever opinion people have, the fact is that HomePod failed in the marketplace. For some on this forum, it is the most successful failed product in history!

The question now is where does Apple go from here? I firmly believe that Apple figured the Homepod would duplicate the success of the Airpods - get the Apple users to buy into it with an Apple Music subscription and they would be willing to shell out $350 for a single speaker.

Unfortunately not enough did. I have come to realize that many people don't care about good quality audio for music at home - my wife is happy to listen to a song on the crappy sounding google nest hub I have in the kitchen, rather than go to the family room with a much better sounding Sonos system.

But it seems that for TVs many people will shell out for soundbars because movies and streamers such as Netflix really spend a lot of time and money on audio quality to immerse their audience in the show. And current TVs have crappy built in Audio.

I think Apple needs to explore this market that they have no presence in.

The issue here is that Apple castrated themselves. I don't think the Apple HomePod subjectively sounds better than the speakers I have at home in the same price range. But, I would've bought one if it was first and foremost a speaker. Some might argue that it was. However if profiles like me were their target audience, they lost a lot of points with proprietary integration, a questionable price point, and an emphasis on Siri.

I think Apple should let go of their ego a little bit, and try to play nice with consumers. This means to not force their customers into their ecosystem. If Apple was really confident in this product, they'd prove their hardware would be successful outside of their ecosystem.

 

[AEWest]

The issue here is that Apple castrated themselves. I don't think the Apple HomePod subjectively sounds better than the speakers I have at home in the same price range. But, I would've bought one if it was first and foremost a speaker. Some might argue that it was. However if profiles like me were their target audience, they lost a lot of points with proprietary integration, a questionable price point, and an emphasis on Siri.

I think Apple should let go of their ego a little bit, and try to play nice with consumers. This means to not force their customers into their ecosystem. If Apple was really confident in this product, they'd prove their hardware would be successful outside of their ecosystem.

My biggest beef with the Homepod is the 360 design. I prefer a directional speaker.

 

[shadow2209]

Yesterday I got 2 white homepods which I have ordered on march 15 from the german apple store.

One was manufactured on july 04 in 2017 and one on january 16 in 2018. So both are quiet old in my opinion.

I‘m wondering where they had the space to store that many homepods for so long

 

[jabintendo]

The product itself is very good, but it is was far too limited.

I was looking at them myself as they were very good speakers, but the fact it is basically locked down to apple music meant it was a no go for me and went with sonos instead

 

[jabz10]

Is there an underground forum with service manuals for Apple products etc, cause we are gonna need it to repair anything on the HomePod in a year or 2.

 

[AL2TEACH]

Like many HomePod owners, I'm disappointed by this. I finally got one last summer and love it - it sits on my desk and gets used almost every day. Siri is almost useless (except for saying 'pause' and 'play') but I didn't buy a 'smart speaker', I wanted something that sounded great and worked seamlessly with my other Apple devices.

I'd been thinking about getting a second HP for a stereo pair, and now I'm very much in two minds about it. I'd have to pay full retail price (I got mine for £200, which is about right 'for me') and there's no guarantee the things will work for any length of time.

get the second one and you will luv the sound even more except you might wish u could lower the bass a tad.

 

[AL2TEACH]

Part of the issue is that Homekit has not had great market success, which also decreased demand for the Homepod.

maybe it was Apple's laziness with HomePod software. for an example, music from the computer will only play on one HomePod, not the two even though they are paired, no equalizer software and hey Siri only works on one. that is just laziness. damn, I luv my real HomePods lol.

 

[ouimetnick]

You've got to make up your mind, you can't have it both ways. HomePod is either the most overpriced and expensive "smart speaker for the lightbulb and homework crowd" or a decently priced "single-room Bose wave radio replacement for an audiophile". You keep bouncing between the two.



In the world's biggest streaming music market, the United States, Apple Music is bigger than Spotify and the rest. And I don't know anyone who uses Apple Music's interface. That's what Siri is for. That's what HomePod is for. For someone who defends Alexa and Google's IoT voice integration its curious that you would criticize Apple for a physical UI.



Pandemic. Massive unemployment. Chinese workforce ravaged by disease. Historic levels of supply chain disruption. Chip shortage. You act like these things aren't happening. For all we know, HomePod 2 was designed and in the prototype testing stage last April when the whole world shut down and Apple made the decision to thin the line in their niche accessory businesses. Not much different than the March keynote that never was.



The Mini is half of a one-two punch in speakers, no different than AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. When it returns, HomePod 2 will no longer be a money-loser. And the HomePod is a $700 product. That's the cost when you buy 2 of them to create a Stereo pair, something an audiophile would do.

You’ve called it a “mono” speaker numerous times now. True is it’s not. The tweeter array and microphones are able to create actual stereo sound when you place it properly.

I use mine as a stereo pair, so yes in that setup, each speaker is producing one channel. To me it was a $400 stereo setup. Not bad.

 

[AEWest]

You’ve called it a “mono” speaker numerous times now. True is it’s not. The tweeter array and microphones are able to create actual stereo sound when you place it properly.

I use mine as a stereo pair, so yes in that setup, each speaker is producing one channel. To me it was a $400 stereo setup. Not bad.

But when stereo pairing was introduced, that setup would have been $700. Too much for many people.

 

[Shanghaichica]

maybe it was Apple's laziness with HomePod software. for an example, music from the computer will only play on one HomePod, not the two even though they are paired, no equalizer software and hey Siri only works on one. that is just laziness. damn, I luv my real HomePods lol.

What I find exasperating is that I can use Siri on my phone or iPad to play specific TV shows on my Apple TV. It will initiate playback of things I’ve bought from iTunes. However the HomePod won’t do it.

 

[Bodhitree]

I read somewhere that the HomePod team had been merged with the Apple TV team, so that is a pointer to perhaps a soundbar kind of product coming out sometime in the future to work with Apple TV.

 

[AL2TEACH]

now an Apple soundbar seems kind of neat as long as they don't shortchange it like the HomePod

 

[AL2TEACH]

What I find exasperating is that I can use Siri on my phone or iPad to play specific TV shows on my Apple TV. It will initiate playback of things I’ve bought from iTunes. However the HomePod won’t do it.

I will have to try it.

 

[boltjames]

now an Apple soundbar seems kind of neat as long as they don't shortchange it like the HomePod

The HomePod was not shortchanged.

 

[pup]

The HomePod was not shortchanged.

Shortchanged, shortsighted, short-lived.

 

[boltjames]

Shortchanged, shortsighted, short-lived.

I’ve got 5 of ‘em. Anyone who wants one can still have one. They exist.

 

[robjulo]

I’ve got 5 of ‘em. Anyone who wants one can still have one. They exist.

No one wants one. There are much better products out there. You made a poor decision buying 5 units of a discontinued, dead product.

 

[Td1970]

No one wants one. There are much better products out there. You made a poor decision buying 5 units of a discontinued, dead product.

I have 2 reg HP. Sounds great. Hope they continue to work for a few more years. Suxks they discontinued them bit poor sales will do that

 

[MrTSolar]

Is there an underground forum with service manuals for Apple products etc, cause we are gonna need it to repair anything on the HomePod in a year or 2.

Not underground, but iFixit has full teardowns.

 

[AL2TEACH]

No one wants one. There are much better products out there. You made a poor decision buying 5 units of a discontinued, dead product.

he made a good choice because it was based on his sound preference as I but only have 2,

 

[bbednarz]

No one wants one. There are much better products out there. You made a poor decision buying 5 units of a discontinued, dead product.

He made a poor decision in buying a product he enjoys?

 

[AL2TEACH]

The HomePod was not shortchanged.

I luv my HomePods but Apple did shortchange em relating to software capabilities.