Poll: ** The Official Apple HomePod/HomePod mini thread **

[Deleted member 138126]

You can only Airplay from Apple devices. Basically the Homepod is a device for someone who is ALL IN on Apple, including *fundamentally* Apple Music. I *love* Apple products but Apple Music isn't necessarily the best music streaming service, and why should I want to lock myself into that? If you buy a Homepod because you love Apple Music, and six months down the road you decide it is no longer for you, then what? The Homepod all of a sudden becomes a *lot* less useful. I'm sure it will be an *amazing* piece of kit, but that kind of lock-in is just unnecessary, and Apple is extremely busy these days, with a track record of not listening to its customers, so I wouldn't hold out hope that the Homepod will become a thriving product line with all sorts of external compatibility.

 

[ChrisD.]

As above. Sonos does what the HomePod does, plus so much more. I don't see any convincing argument why someone would choose HomePod's over Sonos.

 

[haszek]

As above. Sonos does what the HomePod does, plus so much more. I don't see any convincing argument why someone would choose HomePod's over Sonos.

Assumption is because it will sound better but nobody knows how reality is going to look like. You can do everything if you have iphone so you're not limited, not everyone likes to talk to dead things and considers it as the one and only option.

 

[BMox81]

You can only Airplay from Apple devices. Basically the Homepod is a device for someone who is ALL IN on Apple, including *fundamentally* Apple Music. I *love* Apple products but Apple Music isn't necessarily the best music streaming service, and why should I want to lock myself into that? If you buy a Homepod because you love Apple Music, and six months down the road you decide it is no longer for you, then what? The Homepod all of a sudden becomes a *lot* less useful. I'm sure it will be an *amazing* piece of kit, but that kind of lock-in is just unnecessary, and Apple is extremely busy these days, with a track record of not listening to its customers, so I wouldn't hold out hope that the Homepod will become a thriving product line with all sorts of external compatibility.

And as we both have iPhones and iPads, that wont be an issue. The majority of my friends have iPhones but again - it's a case of how often do people actually have people round to their houses for parties where adding to a playlist is an essential thing...? Appreciate that it's a nice feature, but in real life situations? Not sure that people are that fussed. Certainly wasn't in my situation last weekend.

As I've tried the One, I'm in more of a position to say what our uses will be. We have Google Play accounts which house a selection of albums we like in the event that we decide to stop using Apple Music (not that we would as the selection/playlists are excellent (for us)). Same would be if we wanted to use Spotify or another streaming service. So there are plenty of ways to stream your music to the HomePod if needed.

 

[Deleted member 138126]

People wanting to choose/change music on our Sonos system is *absolutely* a use case. Happens regularly. Usually when someone notices that the music has degraded in quality ("who put this song on?") and get given the job of dj.

 

[BMox81]

Delayed until next year.

https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/17/16670268/apple-homepod-delayed-2018

 

[Valo]

That's a bit disappointing, I was hoping to pick one up for my Christmas this year.

 

[Robert]

Kinda tempted by an Echo 2nd gen...but I'm in the apple eco system...argh! There's also the fact that they're billing homepod as a speaker, rather than smart speaker.

 

[Faustus]

I just don't consider this product will in any meaningful sense challenge the quality that is Sonos.

 

[BMox81]

I just don't consider this product will in any meaningful sense challenge the quality that is Sonos.

How so?

 

[Faustus]

How so?

I don't think the speakers in the Homepod have any realisic chance of matching the quality and sheer oomph of Sonos hardware. Example, the Sonos soundbar will be leagues ahead of the Apple product and when paired with Alexa will be peerless.

 

[Robert]

I don't think the speakers in the Homepod have any realisic chance of matching the quality and sheer oomph of Sonos hardware. Example, the Sonos soundbar will be leagues ahead of the Apple product and when paired with Alexa will be peerless.

You’re making incredible assumptions there, given how long Apple have poked around with this...not to mention they have engineers from the top players.

 

[Faustus]

You’re making incredible assumptions there, given how long Apple have poked around with this...not to mention they have engineers from the top players.

Well this is what the Playbar packs so I remain to be 'amazed' if the Homepod can come anywhere near to this.

Nine Class-D digital amplifiers perfectly tuned to match the nine dedicated speaker drivers and the acoustic architecture.

Three tweeters create the crispest and clearest high-frequency response.

Six mid-woofers give you the full range of sound effects and music from the left and right channels, and crisp, clear dialogue from the centre. Mid-woofers act together as a phased speaker array so what you hear matches what you see on screen.

 

[Robert]

I guess I'll just wait and see rather than say it's rubbish/incredible before we have hands on.

 

[haszek]

Everyone has 50/50 chance to GUESS... It will be worth it or not. But I'm sure some of the ppl will say after "I told you so" while it was still lucky guess...

 

[Steedie]

Available to preorder this Friday for release on the 3rd Feb

£319

Shutupandtakemymoney.jpg

 

[Chris1712]

I still don't get it tbh. I have an Echo in the kitchen for light background music and it's 'good enough', if I want to listen to music that's what my proper amp & floorstanders are for? Saying that I don't understand why people buy Sonos kit either.

 

[[HB]Rugrat]

Three hundred and nineteen quid with limited music service comparability?? What the hell are they thinking?!

 

[Deleted member 138126]

Three hundred and nineteen quid with limited music service comparability?? What the hell are they thinking?!

It’s Apple, innit?

 

[tombrr]

Three hundred and nineteen quid with limited music service comparability?? What the hell are they thinking?!

What do you mean by "limited music service comparability??"?

Just sounds like typical trolling again.