Well. Perhaps after this thing joins the homepods they'll go back to being a computer company.
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New 'HomePod' With 7-Inch Display, A18 Chip, and More Reportedly Launching Next Year
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Essentially it’s not. Suffice to say everyone who has used one thinks it’s freaking amazing. But as you haven’t and obviously never will, what is the benefit for you to continually criticise it?
I can’t think of anyone who has a HomePod mini, who only has one. I bought an Eve Room for a couple of rooms and then they turned on the temp/humidity on the HomePod mini. It services as a HomeKit hub, used as an audio pair for my tv (the Sonos is so unreliable) and is the same price as the Eve Room.
When they put a screen on the HomePod mini, I will be first through the door. But I suggest they’ll do more than that.
A good point
Sadly, Steve is gone and so is his product editing, taste and discretion
(whispers) - It is still kinda just a big iPhone honestly
A lot of ecosystem lock in honestly
One has to drill down into the "love" of the products to really understand various situations
A lot of us are fairly conflicted users who love some of it while detesting various practices and schemes Tim has leaned into
Touché
That said, and being serious, they could charge $149-299 for a "band"
It would be rightly seen as overpriced, but I'd give it a go honestly
While I would never use a product like this and would generally like to see Apple keep its focus on the core products (Macintosh, phone, watch, AirPods, TV box), I hope they keep the regular HomePods around. I’m quite fond of those devices overall.
I’m still saying that.
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Cables included. “Magical” cleaning cloth, on the other hand . . .
I ended up with three original HomePods (two are a stereo pair) and two Minis. All are outstanding.
I disagree. Everyone has agency in their lives, and with that the power to choose better tech from better companies at will.
If Samsung/HP/LG/etc develops tech and an ecosystem that better meets my needs, I'd drop Apple instantly. So far I haven't seen that. All of my Apple products are outstanding and work very well together.
Apple should keep the HomePod name. Like with ai Apple should make Siri smarter. Not a new name.
Apple plans to release a new "HomePod" with a 7-inch LCD display, an A18 chip, and Apple Intelligence support in 2025, according to DigiTimes.
Google's Nest Hub
It is unclear how much the screen-equipped HomePod would cost, but Apple is seemingly aiming for a reasonable price. In a paywalled report this week, the supply chain publication said Apple has selected China-based manufacturer Tianma to supply the LCD panels for the device, at an "exceptionally competitive" price of $10 per panel. The low cost of this component would likely contribute to the device being more affordable.
A screen-equipped HomePod has been rumored several times over the past few years. Earlier this month, for example, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo similarly said that a HomePod with a 6-to-7-inch display, an A18 chip, and Apple Intelligence support would enter mass production in the second half of 2025. Kuo said smart home capabilities would be a core aspect of the device, so it sounds like rumors about a screen-equipped HomePod and Apple's rumored smart home hub are referring to the same product coming next year.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last month said Apple's smart home hub looks like a "square iPad," with a roughly 6-inch screen. He said the hub can be attached to a tabletop base with a speaker, or mounted on a wall. It will run a new "homeOS" operating system with a customizable widget-focused home screen, and revolve around Siri, Apple Intelligence, and HomeKit, he added. The hub could double as a home security system by displaying camera footage, and it is said to have a built-in camera that allows for FaceTime video calls.
Apple's hub would compete with products like Google's Nest Hub and Amazon's Echo Show, which are priced in the $150 to $400 range. Kuo and Gurman both said Apple is also planning a wireless security camera that would work with the hub.
It is unclear if Apple will actually use HomePod branding for the home hub, or if it will opt for all-new naming. It is also unclear if the current HomePod speaker will be updated next year, but a new HomePod mini is expected to launch next year.
Article Link: New 'HomePod' With 7-Inch Display, A18 Chip, and More Reportedly Launching Next Year
1 Billion active and repeat Apple customers who love Apple products, all of whom have agency to switch if unhappy, say otherwise.
Apple is a copying company…
It’ll still have touch. Note that a “panel” doesn’t include touch by its self, so $10 doesn’t reflect whatever touch technology they use.
Not being retina is probably okay? *if* the device is super cheap, and I buy/rent a house with more than a cutting board sized counter, I’d pick it up as a kitchen appliance. I already have a HomePod there (best sound reproduction in that acoustically abysmal place), and when I cook I often have my iPad. Those two devices are WAY more expensive than this will be
Because you block it? Or absolutely nothing? I have a few “connected” devices that I block from having internet access. The ones that are connected are security, HVAC, and Apple products.
If you let Apple products on your network, why not this?
The HomePod is awesome for its use case, but I can see how they’d go to two small ones for stereo.
Also, anyone with a brain can see that predicting the success or failure of a device based on assembly line rumors is silly.
My HomePod is in my kitchen. So is my Dad’s. We also both use our iPads as reference while cooking. I can see that use case being incredibly helpful.
That said, I suspect the speaker is just so Siri can respond to things like measurement conversion (we measure by weight).
I think the best way would be to not spend time responding, but you do you
And yet every tech company, heck any of us, would love to have these “failed” million dollar business. You don’t think Bose would move to have Apple’s speaker and headphone business? Pebble the Apple Watch? Roku the AppleTV? Paramount AppleTV+? Intel their chips? HP their computer?
While I’m here, RIM the iPhone?
Also, everyone has hailed new products as failures since–and including–
the iPhone. Maybe let’s wait and see?
Kind of what I was thinking as well. There are 400 million iPads in use today. Why not come out with a charging HomePod dock that you can magnetically dock your iPad to instead. Once docked, it displays the homeOS UI. Something similar can be done with iPhones as well
When we're at home, we (most of us) already have a couple screens next to us. MacBook or iPad with iPhone nearby. Apple Watch too.
Albeit, this was 12 months ago, but 2 Billion was the number then. Can you possibly show an alternative number? No? 😂😂
Lol. 😂 I enjoy your sarcasm.
How is your iPhone, or your Apple Watch, or your Apple TV, or your iPad, or your AVP, or your MacBook Air. All the first, if not the best. Only the phone has been surpassed. And no other OS has an ecosystem as strong as Apple. Airdrop, AirPlay, Handoff, Continuity.
I put my iPad next to my MacBook Air when I’m at the airport and I can use my iPad as a screen extension straight away. Can your <insert Operating System here> do that?
The wife is currently on the treadmill with the Apple TV using fitness+ and her Apple Watch & AirPod Pro 2’s. Totally seamless.
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