This is... the incorrect takeaway from this. The HomePod is an excellent sounding device, but who it is for is a bit of a muddle. If you're someone that likes "high-end" sound stuff there are a number of ways in which this misses the mark, most notably the lack of an aux port. Many of the people who want a smart speaker just need for it to sound "good enough" at a cheaper price point. So the HomePod, in its current iteration, languished between the two markets. I think if Apple does a re-think, which they seem to be doing, they'll come up with something even better.