I actually have reduce bass enabled because I think the default sound signature is too bass heavy, but to each its own.
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Kuo: Apple to Release New HomePod in Late 2022 or Early 2023
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I actually have reduce bass enabled because I think the default sound signature is too bass heavy, but to each its own.
Many items apple has are priced way above what an “average” consumer would pay, such as a monitor stand for $999 or a phone for $1500. And while some MR posters bashed the “smart” function of the HomePod, I found it works for me just fine.
That the price of used HomePods are quite nice, shows there is demand for the product, maybe not the demand apple wanted or apple decided at the last minute HomePod was a good experiment into sound engineering and now they are working on another product.
Potential buyers of the HomePod minus the number of audiophiles still are a massive amount of potential consumers.
Im not buying simply because when you use it, ie talk to it, it will trigger my watch phone, and possibly ipad. A big design oversight.
Yes, Bluetooth, and a 3.5mm would also feel more familiar to those in not in the Apple ecosystem.
But ultimately, I really think it comes down to pricing. The last time around, they launched a good but expensive speaker when the competition already had decent ones for half the price.
This time, give us value over innovation. Make up your margins on services. Bundle it with either or Apple TV/ Music free for the first year. They’ll likely make money back with owners continuing their subscription.
HomePods need to be the Apple equivalent of the Kef LS50 Wireless system.
Apple is working on an updated version of the HomePod that could come in the fourth quarter of 2022 or the first quarter of 2023, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo says that there "may not be much innovation in hardware design" for the new HomePod, and there is no word on what size the device will be and if it will be a HomePod mini successor or a larger speaker.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously said that Apple is considering a new version of the HomePod that would be sized between the original HomePod and the HomePod mini, and it is possible that this is the speaker that Kuo is talking about.
Such a speaker would perhaps replace the now-discontinued HomePod, and it would be more expensive than the HomePod mini but less expensive than the larger HomePod.
Gurman also believes that Apple is working on speakers that are equipped with screens and cameras to compete with devices like the Google Nest Hub and Amazon Echo Show, but those devices are not expected to be launching in the near future. In addition, Apple is exploring a device that is an iPad connected to a HomePod via a robotic arm so that the camera can follow a user around the room, and it is testing versions of the Apple TV that are combined with a HomePod.
Article Link: Kuo: Apple to Release New HomePod in Late 2022 or Early 2023
Obviously a $2000+ system like the Kef isn’t in the cards. But connectivity and “any source works” ability is key to its success, as well as total Apple ecosystem integration.
It also needs the ability to stream high res directly from a Wi-Fi source, and not rely on dumbed down Airplay.
The Kef is an extremely high standard to aim for. I don’t expect Apple to hit it, but that is the direction they should be heading in.
had a play of this earlier on my m1 mini, good fun! first arcade release i have actually played!
This is what I think the original purpose behind the HomePod should have been. It's price wouldn't have been out of line for a premium tv soundbar type of device.
You have to disable ”hey, Siri” on most of your devices to allow this to work or the wrong device is likely to try to respond. Then you hold the buttons on those other devices when you want to trigger Siri. I wish that they would allow us to name our devices or allow alternate trigger phrases like “Hey, HomePod” so that we could target our requests.
Agreed. They engineered the crap out of the thing and then limited input to control the experience.
Each Apple product has the potential to be someone’s first Apple product, then additional devices enable additional features through synergy. They took that ability away from the HomePod by requiring an Apple device to connect to it. Apple gets in its own way sometimes, I swear.
(I am aware that Apple Watch is the same way but it actually
needed an iPhone to fully function initially. Cellular watches *could* be fully self-reliant but things like updates and Camera viewfinder functionality would be difficult.)
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Some might call "heavy" a quality build trait... as opposed to say light plastic build.
I would be very happy if Apple would release a sonos arc:ish HomePod soundbar with a built in Apple TV
Apple is working on an updated version of the HomePod that could come in the fourth quarter of 2022 or the first quarter of 2023, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo says that there "may not be much innovation in hardware design" for the new HomePod, and there is no word on what size the device will be and if it will be a HomePod mini successor or a larger speaker.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously said that Apple is considering a new version of the HomePod that would be sized between the original HomePod and the HomePod mini, and it is possible that this is the speaker that Kuo is talking about.
Such a speaker would perhaps replace the now-discontinued HomePod, and it would be more expensive than the HomePod mini but less expensive than the larger HomePod.
Gurman also believes that Apple is working on speakers that are equipped with screens and cameras to compete with devices like the Google Nest Hub and Amazon Echo Show, but those devices are not expected to be launching in the near future. In addition, Apple is exploring a device that is an iPad connected to a HomePod via a robotic arm so that the camera can follow a user around the room, and it is testing versions of the Apple TV that are combined with a HomePod.
Article Link: Kuo: Apple to Release New HomePod in Late 2022 or Early 2023
I have an LG soundbar with subwoofer that’s actually quite nice. Got it for less than $200. It doesn’t have ‘smarts’ but I don’t care. I don’t need my soundbar to do anything for me other than produce great sound.
I just dont think of these things as for audiophiles. A proper home theater system sure. But either way, who wants wired anything these days? just let it do lossless airplay?♂️
Here in the Philippines we cannot even get the Mini unless we order it from Hong Kong
Apple is working on an updated version of the HomePod that could come in the fourth quarter of 2022 or the first quarter of 2023, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo says that there "may not be much innovation in hardware design" for the new HomePod, and there is no word on what size the device will be and if it will be a HomePod mini successor or a larger speaker.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously said that Apple is considering a new version of the HomePod that would be sized between the original HomePod and the HomePod mini, and it is possible that this is the speaker that Kuo is talking about.
Such a speaker would perhaps replace the now-discontinued HomePod, and it would be more expensive than the HomePod mini but less expensive than the larger HomePod.
Gurman also believes that Apple is working on speakers that are equipped with screens and cameras to compete with devices like the Google Nest Hub and Amazon Echo Show, but those devices are not expected to be launching in the near future. In addition, Apple is exploring a device that is an iPad connected to a HomePod via a robotic arm so that the camera can follow a user around the room, and it is testing versions of the Apple TV that are combined with a HomePod.
Article Link: Kuo: Apple to Release New HomePod in Late 2022 or Early 2023
What may be great sound to you might be heard as okay to someone else. Since Apple can't make just one of anything, how about having two versions of a soundbar? I really don't think Apple will get into the soundbar business.
"Siri - start a five minute timer"
"You'll need an app for that"
- An actual conversation I had with Siri on my Apple Watch this morning
But it isn't a very good airplay speaker. For a large portion of us it has a 2 year lifespan before it starts to pop every several minutes.
Airplay also is SLLOOOOOOWWWWWWW with multiple speakers.
So if we ignore SIRI, its still rubbish
We all know they didn't market it as a Siri speaker because Siri is junk and they know it is. Its just a weak way to excuse themselves from releasing a rubbish smart speaker.
And even if you want to rule Siri out of the equation, then what's your excuse for it popping every several minutes after a year or twos use. Or the slow Airplay functionality... sometimes ive waited 40 odd seconds for music to come out of my speakers.
And then when pressing skip or whatever on my phone, it can take 10 seconds to register.
My HomePod mini is the worst Apple product I've ever owned. I tried to use it as a speaker for my Mac and the delay/buffering when playing a video makes it unusable. I have a lot of HomeKit devices in the home and it's a 50/50 chance if HomePod Siri says it can't communicate with a device but if I goto my Home app on my phone it works perfectly fine. If you do hit the 50% of the time HomePod Siri can communicate with the device, you have another 50/50 chance on Siri saying she doesn't know who is speaking and won't turn the light on. Again using Home app works or.... using Siri on my iPhone and/or Watch works perfect every time. I don't use Apple Music so those features are pretty much worthless to me. So the only thing my HomePod mini is useful for is an internet gateway for my phone to control my HomeKit devices while I'm out of the house. .5 out of 5 stars.
Yep, Homepod keeps dropping music when streamed from the Music app on my Mac. A Raspberry Pi with an opensource Airplay client is reliable so it's really pathetic how much of a problem the thing has simply playing music.
I don't use Siri, I don't use Home automation, just play music from my Mac in a different room. It's apparently too much to ask from a speaker.
