Apple HomePod

[scottrods]

I remember now,...  Apple bought Beats a year or two ago, so expect the PodHome to sound like a Beats speaker -- because it WILL have a Beats speaker inside!  Duh.

It may indeed have a Beats Audio driver in it... whatever that means... but it will be pretty small compared to the Beats Product I referred to... That might mean one of the best sounding small speakers around though... and I'm really curious about how the sound and environmental technologies do in a real setting...

[k9kids]

Wonder how true this statement is.

"The HomePod will only realise its full potential using Apple’s music service."

I think for the majority it won't matter if it is played using Google, Amazon, Pandora etc...

[mike27oct]

The best place to audition the sound quality will be in a noisy Apple Store!  LOL

[scottrods]

The best place to audition the sound quality will be in a noisy Apple Store!  LOL

That's a likely thing, Mike... I've been there on a Saturday, and a Wednesday... and a Monday... and a Friday... My most local store is always a Noisy Beast of a place. I am more likely to try and find a Best Buy to do the Audition though... Much closer to home.

[coyote]

If they are marketing this as a sound delivery device, well.... I have a home theater system for that. Or a smattering of Bluetooth speakers. Etc.

If the sound experience is what Apple thinks this is about, they have not been paying attention. Even two years late to the game, and they still are missing it. While the original Echo was cool, it was Echo Dot that rocked the market. In a world where a $40 device was the game-breaker, Apple is introducing a $350 gadget??

[malliekm]

^^^^
What he said!

[renegade600]

If they are marketing this as a sound delivery device, well.... I have a home theater system for that. Or a smattering of Bluetooth speakers. Etc.

If the sound experience is what Apple thinks this is about, they have not been paying attention. Even two years late to the game, and they still are missing it. While the original Echo was cool, it was Echo Dot that rocked the market. In a world where a $40 device was the game-breaker, Apple is introducing a $350 gadget??

they are missing a lot of points,  but the apple fanboys will not.  they all will shell out the money just because it has the apple name on it because of the status it will give them.  It would be just like that white cable to their headphones.   I think that is why a lot of apple users got upset when headphone jack went wireless - no more status symbol. 

I read somewheres it might have one feature that Alexa does not have, it will not rely on the cloud for commands to work.  whether true or not, it could give them the edge if all else is the same.