
Apple Cuts HomePod Orders After Sales Prove to Be Lackluster - okket
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/11/apple-homepod-sales-lackluster/
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chmaynard
I find it odd that Apple would market a high-fidelity speaker system as a
monaural device (instead of matched pairs). There's a reason why good speakers
are always sold in pairs. Even the MacBook Pro and iPad have true stereo. Why
not HomePod?

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chedabob
Possibly because the software isn't ready. AirPlay2 brings that support, but
in the iOS 11.4 beta.

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chmaynard
I have been using Airplay to listen to music and watch videos for a long time.
The receiving devices, Airport Express and Apple TV, both are capable of two-
channel output to my stereo system. Why can't HomePod do the same thing? With
a matched pair, one device could function as master and the other as slave.
(If you know the reason, please just tell me. I'd rather not watch a 50-minute
WWDC video to get an explanation. Thanks!)

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robbyt
Stereo audio sent to a single endpoint is different than two audio streams
sent to two different endpoints and then synchronized.

(I assume that's the challenge, because as little as 1ms delay can cause
noticeable phasing.)

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chmaynard
Why not build the endpoint into one HomePod (the master) and run a wire to the
other (the slave)? As a user, I would be perfectly happy running a cable
between two stereo speakers.

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okket
Why a cable? If one pod is the master and the other one a slave nearby, it
should be easy to send the audio data to the slave from the master via
bluetooth or similar low power, short range radio protocol.

AFAIK it is only hard to sync two boxes with sound via a 'bulky and buffery'
protocol like WiFi. Also, we humans can tolerate visual artefacts easily, but
async, skipping sounds are a special kind torture.

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blackrock
I am still not sure what purpose a HomePod, or an Alexa, serves.

Except to have a creepy microphone spying on you 24/7, and uploading
everything to the internet, for future voice recognition and sound analysis.

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melling
We heard you the first 10 times/

[https://h4labs.wordpress.com/2017/09/27/groundhog-day-
amazon...](https://h4labs.wordpress.com/2017/09/27/groundhog-day-amazon-
updates-echosomeone-rants-about-privacy/)

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blackrock
So, you're saying, that I can't say that these devices are spying on me, by
sending all the sounds in my home, into Amazon's servers.

Why? Because, so many people have already said it. And it adds nothing further
to the conversation. And that if I don't want it, then I can just avoid using
it.

I didn't say what I said, to prevent people that want to use Alexa, from using
it. I just said, that I didn't see a point of the home speakers, when you have
a smart phone with you at all times.

But then, the alternative, is that if nobody says anything, then this will
give Amazon justification, that no one is opposed to Alexa.

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melling
All I’m saying is that we heard you the first 10 times.

You aren’t changing anything by telling us another 10 times.

I’m ok if you don’t want one. I don’t need an explanation. Hope you’re ok that
I’m going to own half a dozen.

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jason_slack
My wife and I bought a HomePod to use as a speaker. It turns out that is
really all it does well. Siri can't entertain most of her requests. She asks
Siri about the weather each morning and has it play her favorite music.
Calendaring and reminders fails as does most of what Apple said it would do in
the keynote.

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beepbeepbeep1
I get the Apple lock in eco-system but if it supported bluetooth pairing it
opens itself to a far larger market and then they can up sell if you want the
extra features, HomePod app integration, stereo pairing etc buy a IPhone/IPad.

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skc
I'd be hesitant to read too much into this. When was the last time an Apple
product had a slow start and then fizzled out. Those that start slow tend to
pick up steam in due time, the latest being the Watch.

