HomePod Launches February 9, Available to Order Starting Friday in United States, UK, and Australia

[a1kim]

May eventually buy one for the use case of a portable speaker to use with multiple Apple TVs. Every now and then we might want to watch TV on the back patio, and I could just bring it out there for better-than-built-in-tv-speakers sound. And of course, music out on the patio without having to wire up speakers in the ceiling (and buy an amp).

And also for watching TV in the bedroom. The TV is across the room and has poor quality built-in speakers. We could use the HomePod to watch stuff on the Apple TV without turning the sound way up because the speaker could be much closer to us than the TV is.

 

[chabig]

I own one of every Apple product Apple currently makes... but I won't be buying this.

Why? Spotify.

Apple's insistence that I must use Apple Music is absolutely maddening.

I bought a Google Home instead. It works great with all of my home automation stuff and is GREAT with Spotify.

Apple's lock-in pisses off even true fanboys like myself. Not being able to use Google Maps on Homekit and not having true Spotify integration in ATV, Apple Watch, HomePod is just a kick in the face.

From the updated HomePod page...

You’re intentionally reading this wrong. Every other speaker maker on the market (Sonos, Beats, Bose, etc) sells single piece stereo speakers, yet you continue to assert that Apple can’t. Why is that?
[doublepost=1516721340][/doublepost]

In case you had not noticed you have two ears.....

So do HomePod listeners.

 

[deanthedev]

The key part being "through a configuration of two or more loudspeakers".

It's all down to how the track is mastered, you don't need two guitarists, two bass players and two drummers to achieve it.

All sounds are mono by nature. Only after they've bounced off surfaces and arrive at our two ears (at different volumes and at different times) does our brain perceive the sound as having any depth or position (stereo).

The only time you might have true stereo is if you record something like a symphony orchestra with a stereo pair of mics, then listen back through a stereo where you're positioned in the middle so you actually get the full effect (recreation) of the original performance. So when you hear the violins on your left it's because that's where they actually were in the original concert.

Any other music you listen to is all "fake" stereo. Simply having an instrument or vocal come out of one channel or the other doesn't make something stereo. For drums, you might take each individual microphone and pan it slightly left or right to simulate their position in the actual kit. So during a drum roll the sound actually travels from one side to the other. But it's still fake. For guitars you might run it through a processor or add an effect (like a phaser) which comes out as stereo, but again, it's still fake. Vocals could have reverb applied that simulates a large room, but it's still fake.

Which is why I laugh at people obsessed with stereo. I doubt they're even listening to any source material (or are properly positioned in their room) to benefit from it. They're just listening to fake, processed stereo.

 

[mattopotamus]

From the updated HomePod page...

I do not know why you are attempting to argue "stereo speaker". Even my iphone is technically stereo since L/R are separated.

from the iphone tech specs page, "Built-in stereo speaker"

 

[BruceEBonus]

In the 80's most people thought personal computers weren't needed.
In the 90's most people thought the internet wasn't needed.
In 2007 most people thought smartphones weren't really needed.
In 2010 most people thought the iPad wasn't really needed.
In 2015 most people thought smartwatches weren't really needed.

Conclusion: From 2015 people were right.

In 2018 most people thought it was best not to not buy anything unless it had 'the logo' on it, "Just in case".

The concept of innovation is that its groundbreaking. Apple is 2 years behind the competition now. And still charging 30% more for their stuff ... with less features!

That is the elephant in the room.

Smart speakers are two years old.

Amazon and Google is 2/3rds less than Apple's "new" product. Crazy. But true.

Will people stump up blindly regardless of all this? Oh yes. That is the draw of a locked in ecosystem. it's comfy to be looked after by an overseer that controls everything media based for you. But choice is always nice too and peeping above the wall to see what else is going on might be a good idea then too. Go on. Do It!

Oh. Alright then.

Hello? Is that Apple Store? I don't know what it's called exactly but can I have a dozen of them?. Yes. For every room in the house. Whew that was easy!

 

[solace]

I'm not lying to myself. When Apple specs it as mono, then that's what it is. I have no reason to believe they won't use the 7 directional tweeters to balance L/R information.

but those tweeters are in a 360° array, which is even less of actual stereo separation than if you just had two speakers right next to each other.

like i've said, will the HomePod only play music in mono? no. it is simulating the stereo using multiple speakers from one source combined with software, but even your iPhone or iPad Pro has true stereo separation (albeit not great), a single HomePod does not have that.

so to recap... the HomePod is NOT a truly mono device, but it also doesn't replicate true stereo separation either due to only having one woofer and the limitations of it's stereo separation based on it's circular design.

thus why having two HomePod's separated from each other gives you true stereo sound i.e. when you have two, it will output the left channel of a stereo recording on the left and the right on the right, vs. with only one it combines the two channels from one source.

 

[Trolle]

Wake me up when this thing lets me ask Siri to play music from my home shared music library... just by communicating with devices on my local network

I refuse to buy hardware whose primary function is tied to an exclusive internet-based subscription service and makes no concession for your personal private network or locally available assets.

Even if it did what I want, $349 is a hard sell for a product like this.

So let's get this straight. You can't play imported music off your itunes library? Just music off of Apple Music? If that is the case, this is an epic dealbreaker.

 

[tdar]

We need to know if this can be used as a wireless home theater set up.

Also, they need to surprise us with a $100 price drop.

Let me help you with both. NO!

 

[kyleh22]

You can actually snag one for 79 if you time it right, Amazon seems to discount it often and that's the issue I have. I'm happy with my Echo, what does the the HomePod give me that the Echo doesn't? Especially given the exorbitant pricing

I'm struggling with this same question. My Echo has been surprisingly accurate at responding to voice query compared to my iphone. Just waking up my iphone X with hey siri is sometimes a nightmare. I practically have to yell at my phone for it to hear me. I can say Alexa at a a normal talking volume while playing music and my echo hears me every time.

 

[jav6454]

Conclusion: From 2015 people were right.

The concept of innovation is that its groundbreaking. Apple is 2 years behind the competition now. And still charging 30% more ... for less!

That is the elephant in the room.

Smart speakers are two years old.

Amazon and Google is 2/3rds less than Apple's "new" product. Crazy. But true.

Will people stump up blindly regardless of all this? Oh yes. That is the draw of a locked in ecosystem. Aye!

Whole heartedly agree. It's crazy.

 

[deanthedev]

I think it's pretty much inferred if you need two speakers to "create stereo sound," then a single HomePod unit is only going to be mono. But, hey, if you want to lie to yourself, then sure it's stereo.

You need two "drivers" to create stereo sound, not two "speakers". Nowhere is it written those two "drivers" need to be in physically separate enclosures.

Having separate enclosures will create a "wider" stereo soundstage, but that doesn't mean a single enclosure has "zero" soundstage or is mono.

 

[sconnor99]

The elephant in the room is this - Apple doesn't sell your data, Apple won't "listen in" and use what it hears to sell you things. Apple respects your privacy - to me that's worth the extra money.

 

[zoozx]

They better blow the competition out of the water with un announced features and ability for 3 times the price, doubtful.
Looking like Another Apple over priced, underwhelming, late to the party release.

 

[EdT]

A

I just finished a chat session with Apple Support on the HomePod. I was eager to pre-order one this Friday, but now that the chat session is done, I won't be doing so. According to support, the HomePod must be Bluetooth connected to an iPhone to work, which means that the HomePod is an expensive Bluetooth speaker. I don't believe that's accurate, but each time I pressed support for details and clarification, support stuck to the HomePod requires a Bluetooth connection to work.

I never did get an answer to whether or not the HomePod will support multiple users with individual Apple Music subscriptions.

I am disappointed that Apple would open pre-orders for a device with such limited information and, as far as I see it, bad information being released by support. Why on earth wouldn't Apple release more concrete details, especially on a brand new type of device for Apple, one that's starting in the shadows of existing competition?

l

 

[solace]

You need two "drivers" to create stereo sound, not two "speakers". Nowhere is it written those two "drivers" need to be in physically separate enclosures.

Having separate enclosures will create a "wider" stereo soundstage, but that doesn't mean a single enclosure has "zero" soundstage or is mono.

you get it. i don't understand why it's so hard for people to realize this.

it's not truly stereo with only having the one woofer, but it's also not mono either.

 

[MacLoveMacHate]

Gotta assume there was a production issue in not getting this out in Decemeber—it would've been a solid Christmas gift.

 

[guzhogi]

Nowhere does it say that a single HomePod only produces mono sound.

I take "Create stereo sound with a second HomePod" means a single HomePod doesn't create stereo sound. If it did, there'd be no reason to say that. Maybe a software update could use the additional speakers to create stereo.

 

[ifarlow]

A

l

Um... what?

 

[BeatCrazy]

Well, by that same logic where has Apple specced it as stereo? Nowhere on the feature page or tech spec page is stereo sound mentioned EXCEPT in the context of pairing two units together. Again, you are lying to yourself if you think a single unit is anything other than mono.

So since Apple has not use the word mono or stereo sound in reference to a single HomePod, we're both right. Or wrong

When did everyone decide that a "single unit" can't produce stereo sound? Can you not distinguish stereo vs. mono sound coming out of an iMac?

but those tweeters are in a 360° array, which is even less of actual stereo separation than if you just had two speakers right next to each other.

like i've said, will the HomePod only play music in mono? no. it is simulating the stereo using multiple speakers from one source combined with software, but even your iPhone or iPad Pro has true stereo separation (albeit not great), a single HomePod does not have that.

so to recap... the HomePod is NOT a mono device, but it also doesn't replicate true stereo separation either due to only having one woofer and the limitations of it's stereo separation based on it's circular design.

thus why having two HomePod's separated from each other gives you true stereo sound i.e. when you have two, it will output the left channel of a stereo recording on the left and the right on the right, vs. with only one it combines the two channels from one source.

360° speaker array can of course produce a separate L/R "true stereo" sound field. 3 tweeters can produce right, 3 can produce left. Or 2 + 4 + one mono, or 3 + 4. Apple has already highlighted that DSP and mic is used to make the HomePod aware of the surrounding environment, and it is not hard to imagine that the DSP can repurpose the 7 tweeter array according to room characteristics.

 

[chabig]

I think it's pretty much inferred if you need two speakers to "create stereo sound," then a single HomePod unit is only going to be mono. But, hey, if you want to lie to yourself, then sure it's stereo.

So are all of these manufacturers lying too?

Beats Pill (https://www.beatsbydre.com/speakers/beats-pill-plus)
Bose Soundlink Revolve (https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/speakers/portable_speakers/soundlink-revolve-bundle.html)
Sonos Play (https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/play3.html)
Anker (https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Portable-Bluetooth-Subwoofers-Wireless/dp/B0107WH8Q4)

As usual, there seems to always be a double standard regarding Apple.

 

[kruegdude]

Personally, I’m not paying over £300 for a speaker that I can ask to set a timer for 10 minutes.

It’s not just limited to 10 minutes.

 

[boshii]

If you care about sound, vastly superior music quality. If you don’t, not much except for better security. As someone who has spend thousands on speakers and amplifiers, I obviously care about sound quality. I won’t be buying HomePods because our apartment is already covered with very high quality sound, but for people who don't have my setup and care about sound quality, I'd absolutely recommend trying one vs. Sonos.

Something like the Echo is a joke, quality wise.

Siri does nothing compared to Alexa. Sonos One gets you the best voice service plus excellent sound, not to mention the $150 cheaper price tag. No way would I recommend a HomePod as long as Siri is as useless as it is today.

 

[Jsameds]

Looking back, it looks like most people in 2010 and 2015 were correct in thinking that.

Apple Watch is still in it's infancy. As I said, if we compare it directly to iPhone, it's still at the 3GS stage.

Oh and as for iPad - lol. That thing changed the world and you know it.

 

[solace]

360° speaker array can of course produce a separate L/R "true stereo" sound field. 3 tweeters can produce right, 3 can produce left. Or 2 + 4 + one mono, or 3 + 4. Apple has already highlighted that DSP and mic is used to make the HomePod aware of the surrounding environment, and it is not hard to imagine that the DSP can repurpose the 7 tweeter array according to room characteristics.

with only having the one woofer it's still simulated/faux stereo is all i'm saying. as someone who has mixed live shows and produced a record or two, trust me... I GET IT.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

You need two "drivers" to create stereo sound, not two "speakers". Nowhere is it written those two "drivers" need to be in physically separate enclosures.

Having separate enclosures will create a "wider" stereo soundstage, but that doesn't mean a single enclosure has "zero" soundstage or is mono.

I never said anything contrary to this. You are arguing with yourself in a grocery bag.