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Whose expectations? Why is it mediocre?
I can’t connect to my TV.
Being able to connect to appletv is only helpful 5% of the time.
I can’t conveniently listen to my music collection of 2,000 ripped cds.
They spent more time holding back features than adding them.
 
Really wanted one but scored a Harmon Kardon Bluetooth for $75...new, that was priced as much as the homepod originally. Sounds great to me and saved a ton of money.
 
If purchase price is indeed the problem, here is a thought:

Since the HomePod is a dedicated Apple-services device, and that is not likely to change, maybe Cook should decide to "hide" the HomePod purchase price as an installment loan (same as the iPhone Upgrade Program), and roll this loan as part of an AppleMusic subscription.

This way the acolytes of the Apple church can then afford to own the HomePod for [much] "less than one coffee a day".
 
Eh, if Apple bit the bullet and squeezed their margin on this marginal product, they might sell more on being compellingly competitive.
 
What's most shocking to me was reading that it's below expectations... I saw that number in the headline and could only think it was doing far better than anyone could imagine.
It’s ahead of where I expected it at this point given the price.

It’s selling due to air play 2 and now it has stereo support. It’s only going to get better with updates too. Glad it has calendar support and being able to make phone calls soon too will be ideal.
 
I can’t connect to my TV.
Being able to connect to appletv is only helpful 5% of the time.
I can’t conveniently listen to my music collection of 2,000 ripped cds.
They spent more time holding back features than adding them.

That’s the whole point of the HomePod. It’s a small footprint, big sound device to stream Apple Music and Apple TV. If you have a bunch of other components, like CD players, to connect, you may as well use an actual stereo system.
 
I don't have any of these devices, but it seems to me that "smart" is used to mean different things for them. For the Amazon Echo and Google Home, "smart" refers to the assistant itself and not the speaker which is really only there so you can hear the assistant. As speakers, these two are awful.

With the HomePod, "smart" refers to the speaker sound and how it tailors automatically to where it is in the room (and if there is a second one). As an assistant, the HomePod is weak.

And where is Sonos on this chart? The Songs One has an assistant built in (Alexa). And the speaker is good, if not really "smart" like the HomePod. Seems like if you're going to go to the trouble to make the HomePod fit on this chart, you should also fit Sonos. Unless CIRP is just looking for that juicy Apple click-bait.
 
That’s the whole point of the HomePod. It’s a small footprint, big sound device to stream Apple Music and Apple TV. If you have a bunch of other components, like CD players, to connect, you may as well use an actual stereo system.

Agree their focus is Apple Music and Apple TV.

My CDs are ripped and in iTunes, playing those is a reasonable request, I don’t need or want Apple Music. This is a big disconnect, their main goal is to drive Apple Music sales, too narrow a focus for me.

Hooking up to a TV would benenfit every user since you can’t rely on Appletv as a cable box replacement.

Their narrow usage is just too limiting for many people.
 
i feel like what could help with sells is Apple either making its own complete line of HomeKit products or help other companies bring HomeKit support to its products..I know most may not use it but GE having an Alexa microwave helps with what amazon is trying to do by way of Alexa. I really do love my homepods..but most I’m sure would agree Apple has to improve Siri/HomeKit..HomeKit support and further show customers why its priced at what it is! A HomePod Mini would be great in rooms like a bathroom and kitchen (of course it would have to be waterproof) but honestly the sound in any other room would be a lost if they had to scale that back in order to price it lower
 
A smaller less bass heavy version might interest me. Admittedly I've only tested the homepod in an Apple store, but I didn't like the bass from what I heard.
 
I’m in agreement with the folks loving the audio quality. Yes it is expensive and yes Siri may not the best, but the audio quality is far in a way absolutely incredible. Compare the closest “smart” speaker to the HomePod and you have the Google Home Max which has intelligence over Siri but the audio isn’t as balanced or rich as the HomePod
 
A smaller less bass heavy version might interest me. Admittedly I've only tested the homepod in an Apple store, but I didn't like the bass from what I heard.

A lot of people love the bass.. I think offering a few different sound profiles would help with that..I love the bass during the day but can’t hear the vocals at night when I’m going to bed without the volume being louder than I like
 
I’ll take my Sonos ones @ $199 each. Sonos sound is every bit as good and has a flexible ecosystem with multiple offering to compliment. This is an area Apple will only be a niche supplier.
 
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