I own Apple everything but I have 0 interest in HomePod.

[vipergts2207]

from the link:

1. Most AppleTV in use today are already linked via HDMI to an AVR receiver with wired speakers.

BUHAHHAAHAA, no. no they are not.

the other author points were weighted with silly or is still an unknown given the fact that the software in the home pod will adjust for room placement.

not making a comment towards you. just want to make sure people don't think that link is the be all end all post on the subject.

we will all collectively know feb 9.

Really not much was off about his points. Point 1 is probably incorrect because I also don’t believe a majority of people have home theater setups. Points 2-4 are pretty much spot on. As far as room placement correction goes, that doesn’t help the speaker know where it is in relation to the TV which could cause major imaging issues. Unless there are features Apple has yet to announce, trying to shoehorn a HomePod into a home theater is a fool’s errand.

 

[RamGuy]

I think you have misunderstood the entire product. It doesn't seem like the Apple HomePod is really intended for the living room unless you don't have anything in your living room that is capable of providing good sound quality. The living room is the one area where most people tend to have half-decent speakers already.

But what is getting more and more popular is multi-room/whole house music experiences where you pretty much have a decent speaker in almost every room of your house. Your 7.1 Klipsch speaker setup won't really help you much to get great sound sound throughout your entire house. I bet they sound great in your living room, but they are limited to your living room only.

What the Apple HomePod is supposed to offer you in your case is the capability of having a Apple TV in your living room and for you to place a HomePod in lets say your kitchen, your bedroom, your hallway, your bathroom etc and you can get music in multiple rooms. Using AirPlay 2 you can control everything directly using a HomePod or control it directly on your Apple TV and get the music playing in whatever room, whatever selection of rooms or all the rooms if you feel like it.

 

[vipergts2207]

I think you have misunderstood the entire product. It doesn't seem like the Apple HomePod is really intended for the living room unless you don't have anything in your living room that is capable of providing good sound quality. The living room is the one area where most people tend to have half-decent speakers already.

But what is getting more and more popular is multi-room/whole house music experiences where you pretty much have a decent speaker in almost every room of your house. Your 7.1 Klipsch speaker setup won't really help you much to get great sound sound throughout your entire house. I bet they sound great in your living room, but they are limited to your living room only.

What the Apple HomePod is supposed to offer you in your case is the capability of having a Apple TV in your living room and for you to place a HomePod in lets say your kitchen, your bedroom, your hallway, your bathroom etc and you can get music in multiple rooms. Using AirPlay 2 you can control everything directly using a HomePod or control it directly on your Apple TV and get the music playing in whatever room, whatever selection of rooms or all the rooms if you feel like it.

Yup, that's precisely the best use case and likely the one Apple intends. ATVs in the living room and bedroom, AirPlay 2 compatible speakers like HomePod anywhere else audio might be desired.

 

[enc0re]

Yup, that's precisely the best use case and likely the one Apple intends. ATVs in the living room and bedroom, AirPlay 2 compatible speakers like HomePod anywhere else audio might be desired.

If they want to be successful, they'll eventually have to have a lineup like Sonos or Heos where there's something for the living room too. The whole point of wifi speakers is the whole house aspect.

Let's not forget that they own a speaker company. If HomePod is successful, I fully expect Beats to release products that fill in the gaps and will be Apple Music and Airplay2 compatible. I even expect Beats to get Siri.

 

[RamGuy]

Do they really have to tackle the living room? As the Apple Homepod will extend naturally with AirPlay 2 they will co-existing without any real issues with whatever AVR+Speakers or Sound Bar/Sound Bar+Speakers etc you might have in the living room as long as you get something supporting AirPlay 2.

As AirPlay 2 is all software as compared to AirPlay 1 where it required specialised hardware and rumours has it that AirPlay 2 doesn't even require any special certification program by Apple I bet we will see AirPlay 2 showing up in tons of AVR's, Sound Bars etc during they year and many existing ones will get firmware updates giving you AirPlay 2 on existing solutions.

 

[gvasco]

AirPlay solutions with voice support of Apple Music? Please share more info.

I have 2 kids and a wife, all enjoy music, around the house and especially in the kitchen. Not everyone wants to pick up a phone or iPad when you quickly want to hear a modern favorite, or an old classic.

Maybe no voice control directly over the device but if you’re air playing from the device, just have “Hey Siri” activated and it does the same thing no need to pick up phone or iPad. Either way I don’t mind having to pick up my iPhone or iPad to control and pick the music. Usually will airplay from MacBook and control it on my iOS device.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Maybe no voice control directly over the device but if you’re air playing from the device, just have “Hey Siri” activated and it does the same thing no need to pick up phone or iPad. Either way I don’t mind having to pick up my iPhone or iPad to control and pick the music. Usually will airplay from MacBook and control it on my iOS device.

"Hey Siri" (to an iOS device) wouldn't really work when my wife/kids want to request something, right.

 

[timsq]

Apple Music, yup. Siri, okay. HomeKit control center, cool. Kitchen helper, maybe. I wanna hang it like a disco ball from my chandelier. I will give it an honest review after a month or two of play. Stereo not an option until software rewrite, not a deal breaker. AirPlay2 is coming and that will be the kicker, Apple getting more inclusive? would be welcome!! 2/9/18 can't wait! Happy Mardi Gras people of the internets!!

 

[BMcCoy]

For me the HomePod doesn’t fill any usage gap there is.

For you, maybe not.

For others, yes, there might just be.

For me, I’ve been wanting a kitchen speaker for a while. Something that will stream Apple Music, respond to Siri - eg. If my hands are in the middle of cooking or something, and be of decent quality, rather than those tinny soulless kitchen radios I’ve endured over the years. Oh, and I’ve limited space for it too!

I looked closely at the Echo and Sonos One recently, but the HomePod naturally integrates into my Apple ecosystem, and I’m looking forward to testing the sound quality for myself.

 

[SD449]

I have been wanting a multi-room audio system and have considered Sonos many many times. But has always got cold feet as the audiophiles say my 5.1 cinema system is aways going to beat it, but at least Sonos have the Connect to link in with it.

Like the OP I am 100% Apple and found it hard when I brought my Samsung 4k TV but managed to justify it as Apple didnt have a solution.

Now the HomePod gets announced and I was like cool! and then the price was wow WFT... But like all Apple things its on order (x2) as I need to have day 1 even thought they're missing the features I want.

But heres where the story takes an interesting twist, I have now started making my home "smart" and been trying to pick items that work with all systems (Hue and Tado ATM) with the former I got a Google Home free and since then I have feel a little in love with it and brought 3 minis.

I am so impressed I am looking at Pixel 2 for my daughter and thinking of moving to Google Play Music (from Apple Music) and maybe even putting my photos in their cloud.

I am SHOCKED as I am an Apple Fan boy but maybe this is a step to far (short) by apple and could unravel me...
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I've had a look at it and decided it's overpriced at $AU500.
The problem is it won't sound as good as my existing sound system and it doesn't have the abilities of the Google Home or Echo which cost far less.

I think Apple saw what Amazon and Google were selling, panicked, and rushed this device out the door.

I can see why Apple is worried because these devices have the potential to break Apple's ecosystem lockdown.
A new Google Home Mini enters my home; if I find it handy I'll switch my calendar/reminders over from Apple. Then I might switch my music service from Apple Music to Spotify.. then a few more services.
Later on, when I'm buying a phone it could make more sense to get an Android because it works better with the services I'm now using.

This

 

[CPTmom2wp]

Apple Music has nearly everything I need, and can't see the need for alternative music services such as spotify or pandora, whose prices are the same as Apple Music......$9.99 per month, so that recurring argument against HP isn't persuasive. That said, we have a home theatre set up in our den with quality audio that will remain the same. HomePod with Siri will go in our kitchen where a small footprint is desired and where the voice assistant will be amazing as a complement to the apple ecosystem and where most notes, calendar appointments, lists, etc. can be verbally added to all devices. As a family hub, it is also where most questions will be asked and a frequent listening spot for music and podcasts. We have ordered 2, one for the kitchen and one for the dining room, but will most likely keep both in the kitchen for a stereo experience (old house, very large kitchen) when it is available. Given the small footprint, we can then easily move the second one to the dining room when entertaining 5-6x per year on holidays.
We appreciate the security of the Apple ecosystem compared to Google or Amazon products, which we refuse to use.
Just one family's thinking...........................

 

[maflynn]

For me the HomePod doesn’t fill any usage gap there is

It does for me, but other products fill that same gap a little better for less money. That's not to say the HomePod is a bad product, but one that I'm not sure I want to plunk down that much money.

 

[canyonblue737]

I'm an Apple fanboy admittedly (MacBook Pro, iPhone X, iPad Pro, Apple Watch S3, and Apple TV 4K) but I won't be dropping $400 on a mono speaker that's only tied to Apple Music subscription services (which I don't subscribe to, I like to purchase and OWN my digital music collection).

I already have a 7.1 Klipsch home theater setup, which puts me directly in the center of a virtual concert when I'm listening to music, so can you tell me what the HomePod will offer me?

No seriously. If you can convince me it's a valuable addition to the Apple ecosystem, I'll consider it. Any takers?

No one should try to sell you on a product. What does HomePod do well? Well if Apple is to be believed you buy one, put it anywhere in a smaller room in your house and know when you walk into that room you can simply speak into thin air "Play U2's greatest hits from the 1990s" and the room will be filled with good sound. It won't be your Klipsch home theater setup, not even close, but it will be seamless and hopefully breathtakingly easy to have good sound in seconds where you want it. I have Sonos doing that in many rooms now but want the voice control and I want Apple so I'll be trying HomePod. I can see a HomePod in my kitchen, family room, master bedroom, basement living room, and basement fitness room. I will still have 7.1 surround setups with AppleTV 4k in the family room and a basement theater also. If Apple had a more reasonable cost product I could also see it spreading to even more rooms like a master bathroom, dining room and mudroom. All of these products will (eventually this spring with Airplay 2 and iOS 11.3) work together in a whole house audio system, ie. "Hey Siri, play my favorites playlist in the kitchen and family room"

 

[oldhifi]

Not me, my next purchase is Apple TV

 

[MPclk2006]

I'm an Apple fanboy admittedly (MacBook Pro, iPhone X, iPad Pro, Apple Watch S3, and Apple TV 4K) but I won't be dropping $400 on a mono speaker that's only tied to Apple Music subscription services (which I don't subscribe to, I like to purchase and OWN my digital music collection).

I already have a 7.1 Klipsch home theater setup, which puts me directly in the center of a virtual concert when I'm listening to music, so can you tell me what the HomePod will offer me?

No seriously. If you can convince me it's a valuable addition to the Apple ecosystem, I'll consider it. Any takers?

I feel the same way, only thing I don’t have is Apple TV because my new TV has apps on it so I have no use for it, right now lol.
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Not me, my next purchase is Apple TV

I almost bought one, but then that would mean I’d be buying movies from iTunes from now own, but I like getting my Blu-ray with digital copy, so I feel like I have no “need” for it to justify the purchase.

 

[Z3man]

HomePod is the first Apple product i have had any real interest in since the 2015 12" MacBook.

Not interested in iPads and their recent phones have all been boring except for the X, which is just way to expensive.

Really looking forward to getting the HomePod next Friday.

 

[lah]

I have Sonos, but definitely curious to try out the HomePod. I’ll take advantage of Apple’s 14 day return policy.

FWIW, I know Siri sucks, but I can say from experience, controlling Sonos with Alexa is a chore. It’s a long string of commands that doesn’t always work. I don’t understand why the tech press and podcasters fawn over Alexa. Her fail rate is just as bad as Siri in my opinion and is constantly randomly turning on. And not to mention privacy concerns - yes Apple is collecting data too, but at least their company stance on privacy is much better than Amazon and Google...

 

[canyonblue737]

I have Sonos, but definitely curious to try out the HomePod. I’ll take advantage of Apple’s 14 day return policy.

FWIW, I know Siri sucks, but I can say from experience, controlling Sonos with Alexa is a chore. It’s a long string of commands that doesn’t always work. I don’t understand why the tech press and podcasters fawn over Alexa. Her fail rate is just as bad as Siri in my opinion and is constantly randomly turning on. And not to mention privacy concerns - yes Apple is collecting data too, but at least their company stance on privacy is much better than Amazon and Google...

I've had Sonos for nearly a decade, and Amazon Echo Dots for 2 years now. I agree for the most part.

1. Using Sonos via Alexa is tricky and frankly you can't use voice to make specific requests of Apple Music so to me voice is a non-starter with Sonos & Apple Music right now. I know Sonos is agnostic and would love to control Apple Music by voice and have Siri but no way Apple is going to allow that while they sell competing in house speakers.

2. Apple Music via the Sonos iOS app certainly works but is ugly, clunky, non-intuitive and requires a user to have an iOS device connected to your wifi network, with the sonos app all in their hand. forget about guests etc. I *hate* the process of getting music going on the Sonos, to the point it often causes me to just not turn on music. Ease of voice control would change everything.

3. I'm impressed with Alexa in terms of voice recognition and I feel it is more accurate than Siri (no idea how much HomePod will improve on this). If you are careful with either they get the job done but the funny thing is as you get used to talking to a voice assistant you speak more normally and therfore faster than when you started using it, so ironically your recognition rate goes down. If you slow down and speak clearly it does a good job.

4. I appreciate Alexa's ability to work with 3rd party skills like trivia games (Jeopardy etc.) which have been a hit with the family and kids.

5. The BEST part of Amazon Echo is the wide range of devices. If Amazon goes out and makes a $299 speaker that sounds like a higher end speaker like HomePod, watch out! Don't think for a second if HomePod turns out to be a hit that Amazon won't create a high end model focused on sound quality.

All of that said... currently my house is EIGHT Echo Dots that cover the entire home so I can control our home automation systems (every single light is automated in the home, plus environmental and more) by voice from anywhere. The low cost and ease of use is amazing. My home also has 8 Sonos devices, 2 Play:5, 4 Play:1, and 2 Connected Sonos devices. I have ordered 2 HomePods (I love the way they look, am an all Apple user, and totally bought into Apple Music) to try out with the eventual intention that a fleet of 6 HomePods would replace 6 of the Sonos devices and 2 AppleTV 4ks would replace the remaining 2 Sonos "Connected" devices (that connect Sonos to a 7.1 surround system.) If at some point Siri gets better and supports 3rd party apps etc. I could see a point where I could also eliminate the collection of Amazon Echo Dots and be just HomePod (all my automation is also HomeKit enabled) but that is pricey and depends on Apple doing a lot of things I'm not confident they will do.

 

[Phil77354]

Again, a HomePod is complimentary. It will go in my kitchen, where space is at a premium. I already tried "audiophile" sound in the kitchen, via a pair of $1K+ Dynaudio Xeo 2 powered speakers. Sound was fantastic, but WAF was extremely low. Even I thought they took up too much room. HomePod will be unobtrusive, and be able to replace all the assistant functions that I currently use an Echo Dot for, e.g. 'set a timer for 10 minutes'.

I also plan to put one of my HomePods in the kitchen - it'll give us the ability to have sound there from iTunes and from our Apple TV, save us from having to turn up the volume on the television so we can hear it from the far side of the family room to the kitchen. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Falhófnir]

I'm also not planning on buying one, but that's because the whole category of products don't appeal to me - if I were to buy a smart home speaker it would be a HomePod, and not for the apple ecosystem integration, but because it's actually a good piece of kit for the money (for a refreshing change).

 

[Shark5150]

I own Apple everything and the Homepod is definitely for me. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Macalway]

Wasn't interested until I saw reviews. I must say the reviews are killer. The fact that Siri sucks horribly isn't news, BTW

They make good stuff.

 

[maflynn]

Wasn't interested until I saw reviews. I must say the reviews are killer. The fact that Siri sucks horribly isn't news, BTW

They make good stuff.

I'm inverse, I see it in action and wow, I'm getting tempted. I'll admit that I didn't go through a lot of reviews so maybe I'll do that later today.

 

[bruinsrme]

Well for starters, you're not really an Apple fanboy unless you have Apple Music Like you, I like to "own" my own music, having ripped 30K+ tracks to FLAC. But having Apple Music is a complimentary service. Maybe I don't feel like spending $14 to hear the new Migos album, so I can stream it via Apple Music for free. If it's really good, maybe I'll buy it. If it stinks, no extra money came out of my pocket.



I'm rocking a 7.1 Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus + McIntosh system, and all the associated audiophile tomfoolery that goes with it. Again, a HomePod is complimentary. It will go in my kitchen, where space is at a premium. I already tried "audiophile" sound in the kitchen, via a pair of $1K+ Dynaudio Xeo 2 powered speakers. Sound was fantastic, but WAF was extremely low. Even I thought they took up too much room. HomePod will be unobtrusive, and be able to replace all the assistant functions that I currently use an Echo Dot for, e.g. 'set a timer for 10 minutes'.



When you experience the pure simplicity of voice-requesting 40 million songs via Apple Music, it's hard to go back to anything else. When I want to sit down, relax and enjoy the sound.. I have a dedicated room + gear for that.

You mean to tell me you the HomePod won’t replace your multi-thousand dollar system?
I’m out-canceling my homepods. <Lol>

Excellent post and nice system.
The echo/echo plus have supplemented my listening for years. Sometimes I just want music and other times I want MUSIC.

I purchased two. I am looking forward to airplay two. These and Apple Music will replace my smaller system with Rocket bookshelves.

 

[maflynn]

The more reviews I read (both positive and negative), the more I'm getting tempted.

I'm liking the integration of iOS, so I can ask the homepod to read my texts or make a call. I've yet to configure Alexia to do that. For some reason, my drop in on a another echo isn't working - need to figure that out.