
Up close with Apple’s HomePod - SREinSF
https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/26/up-close-with-apples-homepod/
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MBCook
Over at iMore Serenity Caldwell has impressions from a head to head test Apple
set up for the HomePod, Sonos One, Google Home Max, and Amazon Echo.

Unsurprisingly blew away the Echo. But she also said it sounded much better
than the Google Home Max (which is $50).

[https://www.imore.com/homepod-vs-amazon-echo-vs-google-
home-...](https://www.imore.com/homepod-vs-amazon-echo-vs-google-home-max-vs-
sonos-one-speaker-showdown)

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glhaynes
Typo: Google Home Max is $399.

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MBCook
I meant to type “$50 more”.

Thanks.

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jccalhoun
It will be interesting to see how widely the homepod will be adopted and used
in six months or a year because it looks like it is really only useful for
people who are fully in the apple system. One report says you can't even set
it up unless you have an ios device [https://www.imore.com/should-you-buy-
homepod](https://www.imore.com/should-you-buy-homepod)

~~~
archagon
Ugh, the seemingly intentional lack of support for Spotify and other streaming
services makes me see red. It also strikes me as a pretty dumb business move.
Someday soon, a company will release a $350 cylinder that sounds just as good
as Apple's while supporting every standard service and interface — and at that
point, why on earth would anyone get a Homepod?

~~~
abalone
Probably it's harder than you think to make a cylinder sound that good, plus
Siri will do more over time. We'll see if it's a "dumb business move" to
control the whole stack. It's worked out kind of ok for them so far.

~~~
archagon
For their main devices, sure, but what about Apple TV? I know far more people
with Amazon and Google boxes than Apple ones. And stats seem to agree:
[http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/roku-apple-tv-
chromecas...](http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/roku-apple-tv-chromecast-
amazon-fire-tv-market-share-2017-1202506850/)

In the "connected appliance" market, I believe openness is key.

~~~
abalone
There’s more Android devices out there than iPhones too. Same story. Apple’s
success has been about selling the best and most profitable products, not the
most.

You will definitely know more people who own echoes than HomePods, at least
for awhile. Echoes are cheap. Doesn’t mean it’s a “dumb business move” for
Apple.

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gnicholas
I'm curious to know whether it will be possible to use a pair of these with a
TV. I stream video from a computer to my TV and would love to use HomePods as
the audio via AirPlay. I know HomePod pairs aren't supported at launch, but I
wonder if there will be audio/video sync issues when this eventually is an
option.

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MBCook
I believe that is something you’re supposed to be able to do with the Apple
TV, once AirPlay 2 becomes enabled.

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nunez
It's a matter of preference. If you value sound over smarts, and if you have
mostly Apple devices, then this is perfect. If you value smart over speaker,
or if you don't have mostly Apple devices, then an Echo or Google Home is
better.

