HomePod What's taking so long for HomePod v2?

[Mascots]

I’d say the updates this year (multiuser voice support, for example) would generally warrant Apple releasing a new model with those features exclusive.

My guess is that they don’t need to update the hardware (it’s only getting cheaper to produce while becoming more attractive to buyers and new hardware won’t dramatically expand capabilities, yet) and the smaller revenue generation mean longer hardware cycles with consistent software updates.

 

[LiveM]

Why would a HOMEpod need a battery?

To make it wireless LOL. Wouldn’t be the only one in that market segment.

 

[danny842003]

To make it wireless LOL. Wouldn’t be the only one in that market segment.

Why would a HOMEpod need to be wirlesss though?

 

[LiveM]

To make it more useful... to sell more.

 

[danny842003]

To make it more useful... to sell more.

But Apple didn’t make it as a portable speaker that’s not the market they’re going for.

 

[LiveM]

Obviously, and it’s a weakness, but who said anything about being a portable speaker?

 

[StumpyBloke]

Obviously, and it’s a weakness, but who said anything about being a portable speaker?

Because adding a battery will make it a portable speaker! What are you getting at? I think we/I are missing your point somewhere.

 

[danny842003]

Obviously, and it’s a weakness, but who said anything about being a portable speaker?

Nobody that’s why it doesn’t have a battery.

 

[boltjames]

To make it more useful... to sell more.

Apple doesn’t need to “sell more”. In case you haven’t noticed, Apple is in the business of selling fewer units of a higher quality product at higher prices to a wealthier clientele.

If you want a cheap, battery powered Bluetooth speaker, check out Sony. HomePod is a perfect product as it is and doesn’t need replacing.

As the target market, I’d actually like a next gen HomePod that is larger, louder, and more expensive.

 

[LiveM]

You guys are weird! The HomePod has sold far less than Apple had expected, so it is indisputable that it has not lived up to expectations.

By your logic, wireless mice are not for office use! Check out the wireless home speaker market; batteries are included.

 

[danny842003]

You guys are weird! The HomePod has sold far less than Apple had expected, so it is indisputable that it has not lived up to expectations.

By your logic, wireless mice are not for office use! Check out the wireless home speaker market; batteries are included.

What were apples expectations?

 

[LiveM]

Dude, you really need to up your market knowledge. Go find some competing products and info about HomePod sales.

 

[danny842003]

Dude, you really need to up your market knowledge. Go find some competing products and info about HomePod sales.

But it’s all speculation as far as I can tell. Have Apple stated there expectations? Genuine question.

 

[boltjames]

You guys are weird! The HomePod has sold far less than Apple had expected, so it is indisputable that it has not lived up to expectations.

Says who? Some blogger? Some clickbait video on YouTube?

The HomePod is perfect. Needs no hardware changes. Just the occasional firmware update in iOS.

 

[LiveM]

Says who? Some blogger? Some clickbait video on YouTube?

The HomePod is perfect. Needs no hardware changes. Just the occasional firmware update in iOS.

They cut orders by 60% and Apple Store employees were saying they were piling up before that. You might think it’s perfect but the market has spoken. It’s a dud.

 

[danny842003]

They cut orders by 60% and Apple Store employees were saying they were piling up before that. You might think it’s perfect but the market has spoken. It’s a dud.

Says who?

 

[StumpyBloke]

Says who?

Says no one! Just because something doesn’t meet sales expectations doesn’t automatically then mean it’s a dud, it’s all nothing more than opinion to which everyone is entitled and has.

 

[danny842003]

Says no one! Just because something doesn’t meet sales expectations doesn’t automatically then mean it’s a dud.

I’m still waiting for the op to quote ales expectations. At the moment it’s all just online hearsay.

 

[StumpyBloke]

I’m still waiting for the op to quote ales expectations. At the moment it’s all just online hearsay.

Exactly. That’s all it will ever be unless it comes direct from Apple.

 

[LiveM]

Blind leading the blind... but you all know it’s a dud so the fact that sales have been dismal is no surprise.

 

[StumpyBloke]

Blind leading the blind... but you all know it’s a dud so the fact that sales have been dismal is no surprise.

Clearly you believe you know everything there is to know about HomePod and it’s sales. Clearly everyone else, therefore, is wasting their time. And finally, clearly, this is boring and I’m out.

 

[LiveM]

Bose today announced the launch of a new speaker, the Bose Portable Home Speaker, which is designed to work with Apple's AirPlay 2 protocol.

The Portable Home Speaker has a handle so you can move it from room to room, and it weighs just 2.3 pounds. There's also a built-in battery with 12 hours of battery life, so it can go where you go. It has an IPX4 water resistance rating, so it can survive minor spills and splashes of rain.

More details have emerged about the unreleased portable Bluetooth speaker from Sonos, thanks to new images shared by WinFuture (via The Verge).

The existence of the device was confirmed​

last week​

in an FCC filing. Shortly afterwards,​

The Verge​

learned that it's both taller and slightly wider than the Sonos One, and that it supports AirPlay 2 as well as hands-free voice commands from Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.​

We still haven't heard any details about the battery life or possible waterproofing, but Sonos has sent out media invites for a press event on August 26, when we expect the Sonos Move will be officially unveiled.

Article Link: Leaked Images Reveal Upcoming 'Sonos Move' Bluetooth Portable Speaker

A battery in an AirPlay home speaker is a thing.

 

[Itinj24]

I’d prefer a battery with an optional cord plug. More versatile mounting/placement options without ugly cords showing.

Also...

https://9to5mac.com/2019/08/08/apple-homepod-market-share/

If you think Apple met their sales goals with the HomePod, then you’re not really paying attention. They’d never have permanently dropped the price so soon if that were the case.

 

[boltjames]

They cut orders by 60% and Apple Store employees were saying they were piling up before that. You might think it’s perfect but the market has spoken. It’s a dud.

You mean how like in 2017 Apple cut orders of the iPhone X by 20% and by the end of its first calendar year it was the best selling consumer electronics product of all time driving Apple stock to the highest level in its history? Ming-Chi Kuo is as wrong as often as he is right and is nothing more than clickbait for the WSJ crowd.

You don't need to worry about how Apple leverages its factories into ordering more materials and being ready to ship if they have an unexpected surge in demand. That's a business practice that is very common, retailers do it all the time, they over-order so their high-side forecasts are covered and then cancel if they come in at their baseline forecast. You can't sell what your factories haven't built. So you jack up the orders to ensure they build 'em and then you cancel them if you don't need them. For all you know Apple beat its HomePod forecast by 10% or 20% regardless of whether or not factories received cancellations. You don't know their actual forecast. You have a datapoint from a disgruntled factory worker, nothing more.

"Shabikua fabrication factory said Apple cut orders on speaker grilles and a store manager said he had 20 in the back room and only sold 10 so that means that HomePod is a turd."

Let the businessmen talk about business, thanks.

 

[steve62388]

They cut orders by 60% and Apple Store employees were saying they were piling up before that. You might think it’s perfect but the market has spoken. It’s a dud.

Hey. So I’m really interested in where you got that 60% figure from? We don’t need to dance around here, we both know that you just totally made that up (or got it from a source that made it up). And there is nothing I hate more than people that bandy around stats that are total bull.

I’m not saying that HomePod has been a raging success. I just can’t countenance fantasists.