No one wants it because it only works with a few Apple products, it's like that LG Ultrafine monitor that could have added Displayport, but didn't. I would have bought one and tried it, but why would I buy a speaker that only works with Apple products? Makes no sense to do that, I can buy other speakers that support Airplay 2, but also support 3.5mm, optical, bluetooth, wifi, ethernet and anything else.
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HomePod Until HomePod supports other standards it's useless.
- Thread starter scaramoosh
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People are like sheep - the more they are told a product is rubbish (mostly forums and youtube) the more they believe it and the collective opinion becomes their own rather than actually listening to their own judgement.
HomePod sound absolutly brilliant and designed around Apple Music so ports would be irrelevant.
Sure it would be nice to have bluetooth support so I can use them with FCPX on my Mac however they are not exactly monitors so probably no use anyway. Apple never sold them as neutral but designed to make music sound great which they do in spades.
HomePod sound absolutly brilliant and designed around Apple Music so ports would be irrelevant.
Sure it would be nice to have bluetooth support so I can use them with FCPX on my Mac however they are not exactly monitors so probably no use anyway. Apple never sold them as neutral but designed to make music sound great which they do in spades.
Maybe it’s useless for you, for me it’s perfectly fine. I only use Apple Music and the Apple TV. Opinions aren’t universal.
"Useless" and "No one wants it".
Gotta love Macrumors forums and some of its posts.
Gotta love Macrumors forums and some of its posts.
I absolutely love my HomePod. I use only Apple Music so i don't care if it doesn't support other streaming services.
I live in a modern world were i don't need anything than AirPlay
I live in a modern world were i don't need anything than AirPlay
Can you make some recommendations that has the same sound quality as HomePod with the connections you require, in the same price range?
Well thanks for telling us.
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Agreed. I have an apple TV, 2 ipads, a mac and my iphone. Why would I need it to be open. For me it's just fine as it is. If others want it to be more open they can always buy an echo or google home.I absolutely love my HomePod. I use only Apple Music so i don't care if it doesn't support other streaming services.
I live in a modern world were i don't need anything than AirPlay
Makes perfect sense if you consider Apple is a business.
The 5k Ultrafine has speakers, built in MacOS integration (controls from MacOS), calibrated for a p3 color gamut, with built in webcam and ability to charge TB3 devices (PD).
Displayport could have been added but that would mean its being designed for other OS's. Thats not a technical problem but they would have had to add the hardware (display controls) and software into the display to calibrate, they would have also needed USB A for webcam compatibilty.
Apple contracted LG to make a monitors for Apple computers though. Apple only benefits from their contribution if people buy Apple products that work with that monitor (or buy that monitor from the Apple store). While it kind of works with Windows (TB3 isn't an Apple standard) its very bad business if people are buying an LG monitor Apple designed to use with competing computers.
The same is true for the HomePod. Apple made a smart speaker for Apple Music (and other services), integrated HomeKit functionality, and its designed to work from MacOS and iOS devices via AirPlay. Weird right? Its almost like they built for their ecosystem.
Apple uses ALAC (lossless) via AirPlay or the HomePod directly streams audio so they didn't have the compromises of BT lossy audio, under powered mobile device amps connected via 3.5mm, and anything else. Many high end manufacturers do the same thing, Sonos for example requires their app (or AirPlay) to use their protocol over wifi. A couple devices had 3.5mm in but no longer.
Obvious problems have obvious answers.
I have 5k, 4K, and Homepods?! Nooooooooooo
But actually any computer with c for 4K or tb3 for 5k can use them, got a nuc on 4K.
Native apps on HomePod is most limiting feature for me, but at least with shortcuts you can now automatically stream some services to it.
But actually any computer with c for 4K or tb3 for 5k can use them, got a nuc on 4K.
Native apps on HomePod is most limiting feature for me, but at least with shortcuts you can now automatically stream some services to it.
That's what I went for I bought a new pair of ELAC UB5's for £300ish on sale, and an Alexa Echo thing as I have a Prime subscription for the deliveries. I can use them on my TV which I cannot the HomePod (unless you want to use Apple's terrible TV box... which doesn't have TV on it!) and I can use them with my Windows PC, oh and I can use them without latency, which bluetooth doesn't have... but for some reason Airplay does. Oh yeah and I've got RCA, Optical, Bluetooth, ethernet, Wifi and 3.5mm options. Not to mention the sound is way better than the HomePod, especially at the bargain I got them at.
So again why go HomePod?
I have an iPhone, I have a Mac, they both work with any device, they have ports for USB or Bluetooth or Wifi. Imagine if Apple said "sorry but you have to use our standard" and the phone didn't work with 4G, or the Mac needed an Apple Router to work with Wifi...
That is the HomePod, it is useless, I stand by that statement. And when Apple drop support for it, you have no legacy ports to still use it!
So again why go HomePod?
I have an iPhone, I have a Mac, they both work with any device, they have ports for USB or Bluetooth or Wifi. Imagine if Apple said "sorry but you have to use our standard" and the phone didn't work with 4G, or the Mac needed an Apple Router to work with Wifi...
That is the HomePod, it is useless, I stand by that statement. And when Apple drop support for it, you have no legacy ports to still use it!
Do you feel better now?
Congrats you found something that works for you.
I am sticking with my HomePod.
Have floorstanding, and bookshelf speakers which all have their use, but they’re in a different category. None of them are standalone, connected, or can fit nearly anywhere. Would you put a floorstanding speaker on your bedside cabinet? It does sound better than a bookshelf you know.
I don’t use my HomePod for being a great smart speaker I use it for great sound and the ecosystem
I have google hubs for smart answers
I have google hubs for smart answers
0 interest in having Alexa anywhere in my house
Airplay works better than bluetooth, 3.5mm, ethernet, optical or RCA when sending audio from my iPhone
Homepod looks much better, my wife would never want your (in my opinion, a phrase YOU should use more often) ugly speakers all over our home
Homepod can be unplugged, moved all over, automatically calibrate themselves, and work great when brought outside in the summer time.
Airplay has latency to it and only works with Apple, it's audio quality isn't better.... what is so good about it other than locking you to Apple? Fine support it, but if the speaker only works with Apple.... why would you lock yourself in? I have a Mac, I have Apple TV (I never use it cause it sucks) and I have an iPhone, but I cannot defend Apple with the HomePod, it is just ****.
Not so much useless, but it does have limitations, you either accept them or you don't. I prefer Spotify over Apple Music. No Spotify, no homepod. I do like the sound on it over my Echo+ but it's not significantly different for my ears.
Ideally, Apple should be happy that I want to buy their device over another and let me play what I want, but they won't, so, whatever, someone else gets the sale.
Ideally, Apple should be happy that I want to buy their device over another and let me play what I want, but they won't, so, whatever, someone else gets the sale.
Airplay works beautifully for me and everyone in my extended family. It's much easier than the pain of asking everyone to bluetooth pair to it and constantly be swapping. I use my Apple TV as my only home entertainment device because it's awesome, I'll be using Apple Watches as long as they make them, and I love my Airpods. No reason not to take advantage of the ecosystem benefits, just like I'd expect someone who likes Alexa to use all their devices, and same with Google and Android.