Ming-Chi Kuo Says Apple Considering Lower-Priced HomePod After Potentially Lackluster Sales

[jadot]

Literally not one review - anywhere- has said that Amazon or Google's offerings had superior sound.

Plug in an Echo Dot to your existing hi-fi and you've got superior sound right there. Oh, and superior software/assistant too. For no further outlay.

Ahem, MR even covered a couple articles.
www.macrumors.com/2018/02/12/homepod-sonos-google-max-comparison/

It's true. The HomePod sounds nice, but then so does a lot of the competition. It's subjective, and that's OK. Apple hasn't changed the world with the revolutionary HomePod. It's pretty clever with it's sound staging, audio beaming, room assessing computational stuff (microphones), but it's simply not better than say, a Harman Kardon Aura. If Siri is redundant (as we all know it is) then why not open up your music collection?

Apple is a premium brand. If anyone thinks $350 is excessive for a high quality speaker system which delivered top-notch sound quality and comes with the security of the walled garden of Apple, a smart assistant, advanced features (some announced, but annoyingly not yet available), then this is not a device for them.

Buy an Echo or something. You'll get audio quality of a beer can and a pretty good personal assistant. The quality is not there, but the price is right.

Same advice goes to everyone complaining about the cost of the iPhone or the MacBook or the iMac or the iPad... Just buy a less expensive alternative if you don't think the value is there. Stop bitching so much... It's a free market.

So, I don't think the HomePod is overpriced. It's an amazing device at a reasonable cost. If it's too much, buy something else. There are ton of options out there. That's the beauty of it.

Or, buy an google home mini and plug it in to some decent speakers, and then you won't have to make do with a crappy assistant, painted into a corner, in a shady part of the dreaded walled garden. The reality distortion field is real.

The HomePod isn't too expensive - it's too restricted. Much like iOS. Or iCloud.

 

[I7guy]

You missed the entire point of my post. How much profit Apple made in a quarter is the very reason they will eventually fall. The amount of people i know that have stopped buying Apple gear is alarming, its just a matter of time before it starts to show on the quarterly report.

I didn’t miss it, I don’t agree with it. I know people buying iPhones, ditching android, buying Macs alongside windows.

When Cook took helm, there was a vocal group that said the same thing, that it was a matter of time. Anything can happen, we’ll see.
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Plug in an Echo Dot to your existing hi-fi and you've got superior sound right there. Oh, and superior software/assistant too. For no further outlay.



It's true. The HomePod sounds nice, but then so does a lot of the competition. It's subjective, and that's OK. Apple hasn't changed the world with the revolutionary HomePod. It's pretty clever with it's sound staging, audio beaming, room assessing computational stuff (microphones), but it's simply not better than say, a Harman Kardon Aura. If Siri is redundant (as we all know it is) then why not open up your music collection?




Or, buy an google home mini and plug it in to some decent speakers, and then you won't have to make do with a crappy assistant, painted into a corner, in a shady part of the dreaded walled garden. The reality distortion field is real.

The HomePod isn't too expensive - it's too restricted. Much like iOS. Or iCloud.

iOS is selling and so will the HomePod, if not already. I take these threads with a grain of salt, but some good discussion comes out of them.

 

[garylapointe]

With Siri on my wrist (Apple Watch), why do I even care if Siri is on a speaker?

 

[iMi]

Or, buy an google home mini and plug it in to some decent speakers, and then you won't have to make do with a crappy assistant, painted into a corner, in a shady part of the dreaded walled garden. The reality distortion field is real.

The HomePod isn't too expensive - it's too restricted. Much like iOS. Or iCloud.

See, I think that's a matter of perspective. What you see as restrictive, I see as a cohesive environment -- designed to work well together -- and safe. I don't think there is a distorted reality here. I want a premium device and service instead of a solution of various speakers and assistants. I'm happy to pay the premium.

 

[TTTedP]

Saw the HomePod for the first time in the store this weekend, honestly looked kinda cheap. I'm happy with my decision to stay Sonos.

 

[travelsheep]

50 % cheaper but only has 30 % of the max volume level.

 

[jadot]

See, I think that's a matter of perspective. What you see as restrictive, I see as a cohesive environment -- designed to work well together -- and safe. I don't think there is a distorted reality here. I want a premium device and service instead of a solution of various speakers and assistants. I'm happy to pay the premium.

And they'll continue charging premium prices, and in this case it's for something that's not quite up to scratch.

People always cite security as a reason to stay locked into Apple's walled garden, yet in reality there's little to zero problem with using various service providers and living your life perfectly 'securely'.

My example is this:
Mac OS on my iMac and laptops in my studio. Because MacOS, duh.
iOS on the iPads. iPads rule, though surface tablets would work just as well for what I need.
iCloud for registration, Apple TV, iPads, etc.
Amazon Music Unlimited, Echo Dots
Office 365 for cross platform software, cloud storage (1TB per user) and true collaboration and sharing.
Google Pixel 2 - cheaper handset, excellent camera, infinitely usable OS. Google Photos Storage!
No Phone contract - I can upgrade whenever I want to.
Amazing speakers throughout my house and studio.

I can change between Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Google Music. I don't use Spotify, but I can if I choose. Amazon Music is cheapest per month, but not the best software with lots of titles missing or confused. It's not that bad, but Apple Music is better.

iCloud was the push for me, even with "family Sharing" switched on. Being able to share storage space is fine and all, but is being able to share a simple folder so difficult? Apparently even Drop box is more useful - and office 365 and One drive is fairly unbeatable for my use.

Alexa, play [whatever]. It's a better assistant and Google home is even better. I don't have to ask Siri to get it wrong, and if I wanted to play Apple music I can just Bluetooth it. Sounds fine. Sounds premium.

In the end I found that I really liked all of the iPhones I'd ever had, but with Android phones pushing ahead with features that would come to Apple next year, as well as having good looking phones and very decent cameras, I just couldn't justify the more expensive, premium price tag Apple slap on to everything. I can afford an iPhone X, but the bottom line for me was why should I? I bought a Google Pixel 2 XL for just over half the price of an iPhone X. That's £500 less, BTW.

The same goes with the HomePod. It's too expensive, unless Siri were the only option for this kind of speaker. Then you would have to buy it. But it's not and you don't, and Apple are competing with premium speakers and assistants that can do more and sound as good, and in some cases better than the HomePod, and are more future proofed. The list goes on.

It's a cohesive environment, and everything works together. In fact more than just one OS working together means that you're not locked into one way of doing things. The idea that the Apple Eco System 'just works' was left behind when MobileMe went live, shortly followed by the Apple Maps debacle. Steve Jobs knew it and he threw a major wobbly with MobileMe, and heads indeed did roll. Maps has never recovered.

The point is, Apple doesn't always get it right, and lately they've been getting it just wrong on some of their ventures it seems.

Macbook pro? Pros don't like it.
Mac Pro? Sure, why not? Oh - you want to upgrade it? Sorry.
Aperture. Screw that! Here's 'Photos'!
Mac Mini? Nah.
iPhone fragmentation? Sure. Here's the 7, 8, 8 plus, SE, and the X.
iPad Mini? Maxi Price tag.
Siri? Seriously?
HomePod...

I could go on.
But as long as Phil Schiller gets up on stage and gives some technology a name shortly followed with a "what do we mean by that?" gobbledygook presentation, then the reality distortion field is well and truly still chugging along at Apple.

If you're simply "happy to pay the premium" then you're kind of proving my point there.

 

[QuiteSure]

i'm sorry to hear so much negativity about Homepod. I love mine. Does everything I need it to do. Controls my lights, makes appointments, sets reminders and integrates really well with Apple Music.

 

[charlituna]

Regardless I hope they don’t open it up or lower the price.

i have no issue with them lowering the price when the cost of the components comes down. especially if they want folks to have more than one.

as for opening up to 3rd party apps, if it's on iOS then I feel like it should work with the HomePod. that might mean creating a version of Apple Music that works with lots of subscriptions in a way not unlike the TV app and things like Netflix. or simply creating API so that someone can control the app via Hey Siri. I can use Siri on my iPhone to open Netflix, find a number of tv shows in the TV app etc so it seems like the work is already under way.

 

[ericwn]

I hope not because margins are everything and let’s keep it working with Apple stuff only.

If you open up HomePod to google music then you mine as well license Mac OS to third party’s.

Hm im not sure. iOS for example got really popular with apps. And to a degree this is rather similar to apps than letting others produce the hardware or letting others into the OS.

 

[andreat81]

I use HomePod because of the sound and Airplay. (I replaced my $3000 speakers with it.) I don't have a need to talk to an assistant.

You have replaced a $3000 speakers with a small pod?

 

[trichardlin]

You have replaced a $3000 speakers with a small pod?

Well, actually two HomePods, in anticipation of stereo firmware coming up. My wife is now in control of our living room.

Actually, the Harbeth 30.1 are about $5k a pair. If anyone is interested in a used pair, I still have them.

 

[rtomyj]

With the way the term "audiophile" is thrown around here in these forums, a deaf person would be an audiophile

haha very true. It almost as over used as "pro".
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Attacking you? No, just cold hard facts. You said that I was "lying" and "BS" from my post about the homepod. If anything, YOU attacked me. And my point becomes invalid unless I provide you with evidence? What if I posted a link or so, and you claim bias, just like you mentioned in your post. Maybe Marques and many others see the beauty of other devices and feel they are superior. You know being a reviewer and all, he actually uses devices from all manufacturers. I would trust his opinion, for example, rather than someone who only totes pro Apple in every post, like you for instance.

With that being said, go search it yourself so you can see unbiased results from similar speakers in its price/feature range. There are many videos of people that used an spl meter with several speakers. There are blind tests, fq range tests, and all sorts of videos you can reference. Or even look at reviews. Everyone says the Max gets louder, as well as other smart speakers. What is hard to believe about that? Again, other speakers feature bigger drivers, and more powerful amps. Its not rocket science.

Saying something has too much bass means what? That the bass is overpowering the rest of the track. Does this mean the bass is loud? No. This just means the bass is louder than the mids and highs.

You can believe whatever you want, but the facts still remain true. Sometimes it's nice to go by reality, than staying in ones own bubble.
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"Audiophile" claiming the homepod to be audiophile? LOLOLOLOL

I'm calling your argument out. You're saying I need to get out more. I'm pretty sure one is an attack on argument and one attack on character.

You never owned the HomePod. Your evidence is very much invalid. Sorry.
YouTube is full of pro Android. If there are better alternatives, whatever. But Apple very rarely gets a fair shot (different argument).
My point is that there are many differing opinions. Who do we trust? Audiophiles, you (definitely not, you never owned one), me, sales (prolly not since the HomePod is selling really well for a speaker but not well enough for an Apple product), etc.


I am a CS student. I do bioinformatics work as an RA and TA for an assembly class. I use systems from Linux, Mac, Windows (looking at one right now), Unix (both terminal and as a subsystem for the assembly program). I code apps on the side. I know Android primarily and learning iOS. But you're right I don't know what I'm talking about. This YouTube guy that uses phones as text machines and does video editing knows more than me. I can't help what I like. Apple devices work best for all use cases for me. But again thats not the argument.

You keep talking about louder. I'm arguing that the HomePod is loud enough. A speaker is more than just loud noise being pumped out hommie.

 

[Regime2008]

haha very true. It almost as over used as "pro".
[doublepost=1524155394][/doublepost]

I'm calling your argument out. You're saying I need to get out more. I'm pretty sure one is an attack on argument and one attack on character.

You never owned the HomePod. Your evidence is very much invalid. Sorry.
YouTube is full of pro Android. If there are better alternatives, whatever. But Apple very rarely gets a fair shot (different argument).
My point is that there are many differing opinions. Who do we trust? Audiophiles, you (definitely not, you never owned one), me, sales (prolly not since the HomePod is selling really well for a speaker but not well enough for an Apple product), etc.


I am a CS student. I do bioinformatics work as an RA and TA for an assembly class. I use systems from Linux, Mac, Windows (looking at one right now), Unix (both terminal and as a subsystem for the assembly program). I code apps on the side. I know Android primarily and learning iOS. But you're right I don't know what I'm talking about. This YouTube guy that uses phones as text machines and does video editing knows more than me. I can't help what I like. Apple devices work best for all use cases for me. But again thats not the argument.

You keep talking about louder. I'm arguing that the HomePod is loud enough. A speaker is more than just loud noise being pumped out hommie.

How is suggesting that you go out and experience what some real bass is like, considered an attack? If someone claims that their local McDonald's has some amazing burgers, and they are good enough, and I suggest them to check out a better burger joint, does that mean I am attacking them? I am simply suggesting that you experience quality, powerful bass, since you consider the homepod to be astounding.

Do I have to own the homepod to have an opinion on it? Your generalization about Youtube shows that you have no idea of what you are talking about. If anything, it is the exact opposite. I have as much of an opinion on the homepod as you do.

Out of curiosity, what does your background have to do with this discussion? Unless you have an ample understanding on how sound works, then most of the people probably do have more knowledge on the subject, no offense - just in case you get offended again.

The homepod can be loud enough to you, or even someone who doesn't own any speakers/haven't experienced a nice setup before. This doesn't mean they get loud. And if you read my other posts, you'd see that volume is the least of my concerns with the homepod. It is the artificial sound, lack of separation, lacking features, stupid AI, V curve EQ, etc.

Let's just agree to disagree. You like what you like, I like what I like. If you like the homepod, good for you. To the several that don't, there are millions of better options out there, and probably already exist in their homes.

 

[rtomyj]

How is suggesting that you go out and experience what some real bass is like, considered an attack? If someone claims that their local McDonald's has some amazing burgers, and they are good enough, and I suggest them to check out a better burger joint, does that mean I am attacking them? I am simply suggesting that you experience quality, powerful bass, since you consider the homepod to be astounding.

Never called it astounding

Do I have to own the homepod to have an opinion on it? Your generalization about Youtube shows that you have no idea of what you are talking about. If anything, it is the exact opposite. I have as much of an opinion on the homepod as you do.

You never owned it so you don't know A) how it does in your home. B) Never had it for long enough to come with an informed decision. You can have an opinion but it very much shouldn't be taken serious. I mean you're claiming $50 dollar speakers can get louder than the HomePod (which again loudness is a key factor for some reason) but you can't think that those $50 speakers will be on par with the sound of the HomePod, right?
My original argument is that the HomePod does indeed get loud. You admitted to never owning one. You pointed out $50 speakers can get louder but loud music is nothing without some mids/lows/highs.

Theres this one youtuber I started watching. One of his videos was autoplaying (so ill need to search it if you want it) where he says Goog is demonetizing his vids because he always bad mouths the Pixel. Wouldn't doubt others would be bias to prevent demonetizing, etc. (not the point)

Out of curiosity, what does your background have to do with this discussion? Unless you have an ample understanding on how sound works, then most of the people probably do have more knowledge on the subject, no offense - just in case you get offended again.

Thought the same thing.. heres a quote from you...
"Maybe Marques and many others see the beauty of other devices and feel they are superior. You know being a reviewer and all, he actually uses devices from all manufacturers. I would trust his opinion, for example, rather than someone who only totes pro Apple in every post, like you for instance."

See, if you like Apple products, your view is automatically labeled, "closed minded". I was pointing out that i actually use different platforms. That i've been around the block and now whats best for me (still not the original point though).

You ain't gonna offend me haha.

The homepod can be loud enough to you, or even someone who doesn't own any speakers/haven't experienced a nice setup before. This doesn't mean they get loud. And if you read my other posts, you'd see that volume is the least of my concerns with the homepod. It is the artificial sound, lack of separation, lacking features, stupid AI, V curve EQ, etc.

Now we talking. How much are your nice setups? Are they cheaper than the HomePod? Do they offer the benefits of the HomePod? Its not the $50 speakers from before, is it?

Let's just agree to disagree. You like what you like, I like what I like. If you like the homepod, good for you. To the several that don't, there are millions of better options out there, and probably already exist in their homes.

Millions? But yea I agree. I don't care what you like. I think a better wording would be, "I value loud music and the HomePod doesn't get loud enough to my liking in the brief time I used it at a friends house". Just an FYI

I wouldn't have responded to that.

 

[Regime2008]

Never called it astounding

You sure are going on about it as if its the best sounding thing ever. As well as getting super defensive over someone saying it doesn't sound good or get loud enough.

You never owned it so you don't know A) how it does in your home. B) Never had it for long enough to come with an informed decision. You can have an opinion but it very much shouldn't be taken serious. I mean you're claiming $50 dollar speakers can get louder than the HomePod (which again loudness is a key factor for some reason) but you can't think that those $50 speakers will be on par with the sound of the HomePod, right?
My original argument is that the HomePod does indeed get loud. You admitted to never owning one. You pointed out $50 speakers can get louder but loud music is nothing without some mids/lows/highs.

Theres this one youtuber I started watching. One of his videos was autoplaying (so ill need to search it if you want it) where he says Goog is demonetizing his vids because he always bad mouths the Pixel. Wouldn't doubt others would be bias to prevent demonetizing, etc. (not the point)

You can skip to the other listeners impressions on different setups.

1. You do not know if I have heard it in my own house or not.
2. You do not know how long I have heard one.

Volume is the premise of the argument with $50 speakers. Cheap amplification + large drivers, for a price of 50 bucks can get louder than the homepod. There is no rocket science behind this. I am not saying this will sound better. But a more expensive speaker =/= louder speaker, as you seem to believe. I simply stated it doesn't sound good, nor loud enough. Although in the video, an impression was that the $129 speakers sounded better than the homepod. YMMV

Thought the same thing.. heres a quote from you...
"Maybe Marques and many others see the beauty of other devices and feel they are superior. You know being a reviewer and all, he actually uses devices from all manufacturers. I would trust his opinion, for example, rather than someone who only totes pro Apple in every post, like you for instance."

See, if you like Apple products, your view is automatically labeled, "closed minded". I was pointing out that i actually use different platforms. That i've been around the block and now whats best for me (still not the original point though).

You ain't gonna offend me haha.


Now we talking. How much are your nice setups? Are they cheaper than the HomePod? Do they offer the benefits of the HomePod? Its not the $50 speakers from before, is it?

Depends on which room, but comparing unit for unit, then yes. They exceed above and beyond what the homepod does. By a long shot. Why would this be surprising though? No one in their right mind would replace their preexisting speakers with homepods. That would be outright silly.

Millions? But yea I agree. I don't care what you like. I think a better wording would be, "I value loud music and the HomePod doesn't get loud enough to my liking in the brief time I used it at a friends house". Just an FYI

I wouldn't have responded to that.

You don't have to like the finer things in life, which is fine. That is the beauty of life, we have choices. You like the homepod, while I like quality reproduction of music. Different strokes for different folks!

 

[Cigsm]

Audio quality is most important to me so I’m no way shape or form are google or amazons products better.

No reason to buy a $350 Apple HomePod (or multiple HomePods) with the Amazon / Google devices already being better for a mere $50.

Apple made a mistake thinking people want three $350 speakers in their home. Most people already have a home music stereo - no need for a $350 one (or multiple ones). I am an Apple Fan Boy and bought a Google Home mini for $30 refurb on eBay and it's everything I need.... I use iTunes AirPlay for my actual home speaker system.

I chose the Google because my main use for it will be voice web searching with questions. Amazon Echo uses Bing, so I wasn't interested in Echo.

 

[Cigsm]

That would make sense, except that sales continue to go up in nearly every category they offer.

You missed the entire point of my post. How much profit Apple made in a quarter is the very reason they will eventually fall. The amount of people i know that have stopped buying Apple gear is alarming, its just a matter of time before it starts to show on the quarterly report.

 

[ValO]

I would love the homepod to allow more sources , like a bluray player/cable box to be hooked up and an option to have hdmi sound and airplay sound output at the same time in sync. So i could output sound of my great af8 oled build in speaker at the same time with the homepod to create a bigger soundstage.

And i would definately love a soundbar from apple with a build in apple tv, and perhaps even a camera to allow facetime calls, etc.

Call it the tvpod , homebar, or something like that.

But it wouldn’ t solve the issue of not being able to connect a bluray player that still has superior 4k output vs a 4k streaming apple tv.

Perhaps the new version of the sonos playbar , announced at 6th of june is a better option for me.

 

[rcappo]

I wonder if the Apple HomePod and Apple TV will ever get merged into one device? It would be even nicer if they tied in a DVR into it. Maybe add in the functionality of the old Time Machine with WiFi and in backing up all of the devices and laptops... That would be taking this to the next level and making things easy to use and work together like they are known for.