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HomePod Firmware Reveals Further Details on Apple's Smart Speaker
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Yeah, because every product under Jobs revolutionized something... *cough* iPod Hifi.
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Because they don't break numbers out it is a failure? When they said they were never going to? What Beats a failure, too? And AirPods a failure because they're grouped into the same category? C'mon.
Apple even said on the last earnings call that Apple Watch was the primary growth factor that prevented that category from dipping from a drop in Apple TV sales... So if you're going to peg a product, at least peg the right one.
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No of course not, but he had a GIANT hit every few years.
And iPod Hifi is actually a great example of a product that didn't do anything better than the competition and that's why it flopped.
HomePod is EXACTLY the same product (exactly the same price as well $349) as iPod Hifi, just that now instead of plugging in your iPod, you turn on Apple Music.
Whenever Apple has tried to sell a product solely on brand, it failed.
Whenever they put the very best technology and design together, plus made it affordable enough it was a big hit.
The only thing about HomePod that it does, what others do not (as claimed) is offer superior sound quality.
That is if you include it in the smart 'speaker' category only, and not in the category of all wireless speakers. If it does offer better SQ, then that will be a reason to get it over competitors.
And yes SONOS etc can offer even better quality, but with audio there is almost infinite expense to get up the quality bar anyway. If SONOS offers better quality at same price with a smart assistant, then we're talking.
That is if you include it in the smart 'speaker' category only, and not in the category of all wireless speakers. If it does offer better SQ, then that will be a reason to get it over competitors.
And yes SONOS etc can offer even better quality, but with audio there is almost infinite expense to get up the quality bar anyway. If SONOS offers better quality at same price with a smart assistant, then we're talking.
Facts! This is exactly why I stick with Apple. Their products are built better, works better and last longer.
If you think Apples only strength is based in up revealing HUGE products every couple of years that completely change the landscape of YOUR life, please get off the train now or you're going to be very disappointed.
That's rewriting history a little bit. That wasn't the case with the Mac, it wasn't the case with the iPod, and it wasn't the case with the iPhone either. wWhen they came to market, they had technology and usability unmatched by anything from the competition.
HomePod is not a better speaker that other products, and not a btter home assistant thatn other products. It's not better at anything, not when it comes to technolgy and not when it comes to usabailty.
Hell you can even get a Jony Ive designed home speaker from Harmon/Kardon which let's you play ALL streaming services, not just Apple music and sounds better or equally good with 360° audio.
That speaker is really quite cool looking.
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I would like to hear a comparison with the Jony Ive designed home speaker from Harmon/Kardon which let's you play ALL streaming services plus bluetooth, not just Apple music and offers 360° audio.
Harmon/Kardon does nothing but excellent audio stuff.
- 6 mid- to high-range 1.5" transducers for accurate, Omni-directional sound and a 4.5” subwoofer for rich, powerful bass
- Custom, stereo-widening DSP audio technology engineered for room-filling, full frequency sound
- Built-in Bluetooth feature streams audio from your Bluetooth devices wirelessly
- Built-in Apple Air Play system with easy set-up for your Apple devices, DLNA for Windows and Android devices, and Spotify Connect
- Customized Harman Kardon Remote app allows for easy set-up and added connectivity
It also glows in the dark, depending on the volume level which you can change by just touching the metal ring that goes all around the speaker.
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Great point. Everyone started crowing about how Google and MS were going to take over the AR space. Google mostly showed vapor ware and focused on future offerings that have not yet materialized. MS showed off some really good software and hardware but hasn't brought much of it to market. Apple took its time and developed a hardware and software approach to AR and boom now everyone is talking how they have more delivered in this space than the competition.
The iBook? You mean the one that was hailed as a toilet seat cover? Or the original mouse that came with the iMac that was hailed as a hockey puck? You're forgetting the MacPro as well, initially released in 2006, or the Cube, or the original Apple iPod Hi-Fi speaker, and more I'm sure. All those products were released under Steve Jobs and were failures. And no, Steve Jobs did not "create" Mac OS X from scratch, it was essentially NeXTSTEP which was released in 1989 with Steve's company NeXT.
It'd be nice if folks were actually discussing the topic (release of HomePod firmware via the IPSW server). Doesn't anyone get tired of every front page story being turned into the same, tired Tim Cook vs. Steve Jobs/Apple Isn't Innovating Anymore debate? (Please, someone, say something about HomePod being overpriced, or that it has insufficient RAM! /s.)
My takeaway from the actual story is relatively boring. I have to leave it to people wiser about code to tell me what that firmware can do. So far, they've only given us a few tidbits. Undoubtedly, coders will take a deeper dive into the system in the coming days and weeks.
1) Why would Apple put this out onto a publicly available server, other than to test the OTA update process? AFAIK, there are no review units in the hands of journalists or developers, so that's not yet a reason to push revised firmware out beyond the R&D firewalls.
2) With Apple knowing that this would leak, I'd expect the first release to be bare bones - no bundled apps, just an answer to the question: "Will a firmware/OS upgrade install correctly?" Whatever is released with the product in December, it's going to have more than we see here. It's too soon to pronounce the OS either stupid or brilliant.
3) 32 x 32 is a standard-sized icon, part of a standard app distribution. I can imagine the icons being desirable for displaying system state during initial pairing/connection, and if there's to be a third-party app capability, for displaying the running media app (Apple Music, Spotify, etc.). Unless the button is huge, 32x32 is plenty - why over-build and raise the BoM costs unnecessarily? This is a unique display for Apple, so it requires new code. There's an existing code base for a wide variety of touchscreen displays, so if/when we see a touchscreen-equipped HomePod, that code will find its way into the distribution.
3a) I won't bet any real money on it, but I find it hard to imagine they don't intend to support third-party music subscription services - Apple makes very good money selling subscriptions to competing services on iOS and tvOS. If someone purchased a Spotify subscription through the App Store for their iPhone, I'd imagine they'd be very unhappy to learn they couldn't use it on HomePod - fewer HomePod sales is not a good thing. Sure, Apple said, "Apple Music" in the Keynote. They're not going to promise a capability or name names until they know they have other services on board.
3b) It'd be very like Apple to release an Apple Music-only version in December, with a promise of third-party app availability with the release of PodOS 1.1 or 2.0.
4) For HomePod, third-party apps will be dependent on the capabilities of SiriKit. AFAIK, SiriKit does not (yet) have an Intents Domain (vocabulary) for music/media. It has to exist, but for now it's apparently still Apple-internal. Again, presuming there's support for third-party music services over the horizon, it'll be rolled out when they announce third-party support.
5) To see where HomePod is likely going media-player-wise, take a look at tvOS. I'd expect Universal Search at some point in the near term - Apple would rather sell two or three music subscriptions per user, rather than just one.
My takeaway from the actual story is relatively boring. I have to leave it to people wiser about code to tell me what that firmware can do. So far, they've only given us a few tidbits. Undoubtedly, coders will take a deeper dive into the system in the coming days and weeks.
1) Why would Apple put this out onto a publicly available server, other than to test the OTA update process? AFAIK, there are no review units in the hands of journalists or developers, so that's not yet a reason to push revised firmware out beyond the R&D firewalls.
2) With Apple knowing that this would leak, I'd expect the first release to be bare bones - no bundled apps, just an answer to the question: "Will a firmware/OS upgrade install correctly?" Whatever is released with the product in December, it's going to have more than we see here. It's too soon to pronounce the OS either stupid or brilliant.
3) 32 x 32 is a standard-sized icon, part of a standard app distribution. I can imagine the icons being desirable for displaying system state during initial pairing/connection, and if there's to be a third-party app capability, for displaying the running media app (Apple Music, Spotify, etc.). Unless the button is huge, 32x32 is plenty - why over-build and raise the BoM costs unnecessarily? This is a unique display for Apple, so it requires new code. There's an existing code base for a wide variety of touchscreen displays, so if/when we see a touchscreen-equipped HomePod, that code will find its way into the distribution.
3a) I won't bet any real money on it, but I find it hard to imagine they don't intend to support third-party music subscription services - Apple makes very good money selling subscriptions to competing services on iOS and tvOS. If someone purchased a Spotify subscription through the App Store for their iPhone, I'd imagine they'd be very unhappy to learn they couldn't use it on HomePod - fewer HomePod sales is not a good thing. Sure, Apple said, "Apple Music" in the Keynote. They're not going to promise a capability or name names until they know they have other services on board.
3b) It'd be very like Apple to release an Apple Music-only version in December, with a promise of third-party app availability with the release of PodOS 1.1 or 2.0.
4) For HomePod, third-party apps will be dependent on the capabilities of SiriKit. AFAIK, SiriKit does not (yet) have an Intents Domain (vocabulary) for music/media. It has to exist, but for now it's apparently still Apple-internal. Again, presuming there's support for third-party music services over the horizon, it'll be rolled out when they announce third-party support.
5) To see where HomePod is likely going media-player-wise, take a look at tvOS. I'd expect Universal Search at some point in the near term - Apple would rather sell two or three music subscriptions per user, rather than just one.
Nice! seems you got it all figured over and over, damn you are good.
I think it's hard to bring quality under Cook's era since taking over they've been releasing disposable overpriced glued garbage, this seems like another typical Cook product. Of course "quality" may vary among consumers I guess.
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That's rewriting history a little bit. That wasn't the case with the Mac, it wasn't the case with the iPod, and it wasn't the case with the iPhone either. wWhen they came to market, they had technology and usability unmatched by anything from the competition.
HomePod is not a better speaker that other products, and not a btter home assistant thatn other products. It's not better at anything, not when it comes to technolgy and not when it comes to usabailty.
Hell you can even get a Jony Ive designed home speaker from Harmon/Kardon which let's you play ALL streaming services, not just Apple music and sounds better or equally good with 360° audio.
- 6 mid- to high-range 1.5" transducers for accurate, Omni-directional sound and a 4.5” subwoofer for rich, powerful bass
- Custom, stereo-widening DSP audio technology engineered for room-filling, full frequency sound
- Built-in Bluetooth feature streams audio from your Bluetooth devices wirelessly
- Built-in Apple Air Play system with easy set-up for your Apple devices, DLNA for Windows and Android devices, and Spotify Connect
- Customized Harman Kardon Remote app allows for easy set-up and added connectivity
Not a better anything? Did you even read the unveiling reviews? Clearly not.
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Thanks for agreeing. Although, I have to disagree with you. Some of the best selling products on the market is from that "Glued garbage" Apple makes. But nice attempt at disparaging against Apple.
Good idea:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/06/06/first-look-does-apples-homepod-speaker-sound/
Hmm and thats Sonos is a similar price as well.
Hmm... I love my Beats pill+ speakers, the sound is good enough for regular listening and they are extremely convenient. They use bluetooth but also has an audio in-port and can be used very freely if you want. You are still not totally engulfed in the "sticky Apple ecosystem". With Homepod though - it is totally reliant on Apple software - meaning you probably need to keep pace with every little software update that Apple issues on Mac OS, watchOS an iOS to get this speaker to work.... In the end you will sit there with a totally slowed down iPhone/iPad that you can't do anything with anymore, except for playing music through homepod.
I guess it's not a problem if you buy new units every year anyway.
/old fart who still has an analogue hifi system and can't really forget what updates have done to older iOS units
I guess it's not a problem if you buy new units every year anyway.
/old fart who still has an analogue hifi system and can't really forget what updates have done to older iOS units
Sonos is just a normal speaker (in terms of audio quality).
The 360 speaker design with a real woofer will of course sound better.
Problem is Apple ripped that off from Harmon/Kardon, they came up with that design in 2013.
- 6 mid- to high-range 1.5" transducers for accurate, Omni-directional sound and a 4.5” subwoofer for rich, powerful bass
- Custom, stereo-widening DSP audio technology engineered for room-filling, full frequency sound
- Built-in Bluetooth feature streams audio from your Bluetooth devices wirelessly
- Built-in Apple Air Play system with easy set-up for your Apple devices, DLNA for Windows and Android devices, and Spotify Connect
- Customized Harman Kardon Remote app allows for easy set-up and added connectivity
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Exactly my point. It is easier for amazon and google to throw money and improve the sound quality of their products than for Apple to improve Siri (apparently - otherwise they would have done it by now).
Heck - they could even let someone like Harmann Kardon, B&O, bowers Wilkins produce it.
The reason what made this category exciting was that it was a SMART speaker, not just a speaker. You could just hook the echo dot to any speaker now and it could compete with homepod.
Which Apple banks on (pun intended)...that there will be enough people who will either take a chance or people that just outright buy anything with an Apple logo on it. Successful or not, Apple will claim record sales, etc.
1. If true that would be stupid on Apple's part. 24m Apple Music subscribers vs 1b iOS users. You are telling me that Apple is going to make a product targeting 24m vs 1b?
2. How many of those 24m AM subscribers are kids who live in small apts or dorms and also rarely there. Why would they need a $349 speaker when they are doing fine with their $99 or less BT speaker and happy using their $49 Dot?
3. How many of those 24m AM subscribers have a family sub and live in a house with multiple rooms so they need multiple pods, but not nec. $349 speakers in every room?
I agree the HomePod is more useful to someone with an AM sub than not. I think your sales estimate is optimistic. I can see a 10% sales rate, 2.4m. I don't see 5m unless Apple broadens the line with lower cost models to make it a system like Sonos or Echo rather than just a lonely speaker.
Your agreeing that the HomePod should ONLY work with Apple Music and not other services? Really? Does the iPhone only work with iTunes and Apple Music? Do Google products only work with Google services? Amazon products only with Amazon services?
I would never spend that much money to be boxed in with only one music service choice.
That's why.
Hey, if it works for you great. I'm not a hater. I'd love one if it was a system. As-is it's as useful to me as having a spare tire but 4 flat tires.
In theory.
In practice, google can't even keep a low-demand product like the pixel in stock. And any high-end speaker they make that hopes to match the quality of the homepods will likely not be any cheaper. Given two equivalent speakers, one Apple-branded and the other not, which do you think consumers will favour?
I think what people are forgetting is that Apple pretty much owns the best customers via the iPhone. These are the people who will in turn go on to purchase Apple watches and AirPods because they have more spending power. And once you get one home pod, there will be incentive to get more home pods for the various rooms in your house. There will be utility to gained from staying in the Apple ecosystem than fragmenting it with third party smart speakers.
This will be like the AirPods scenario all over again. People ragging on the AirPods for being overpriced, until you look around and realise that the competition isn't able to offer anything comparable for the same price.
Amazon will be forced to compete in the low end because they have no ecosystem to speak of their own, leaving Apple to dominate the high end and rake in all the profits in the market.
Mark my words. This will not be pretty.