Camper Van Beethoven
Banned
How is this crap?
If you want a wifi speaker with a digital assistant why is this bad? It's bad cos you don't want it?
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HomePod Announced (Siri Speaker) Sonos meets Amazon Echo, $349
- Thread starter Muzy72
- Start date
How is this crap?
If you want a wifi speaker with a digital assistant why is this bad? It's bad cos you don't want it?
Woo-Fu
Banned
Not really. Those people should get an Echo Dot and spend the savings on a good bluetooth speaker.
This product is for the people who buy Apple products because they're Apple products. The price/feature comparison to the competition makes it painfully obvious. If you told me about this product without telling me who it was from I would have guessed it was a 1.0 from Microsoft, not Apple. How the mighty have fallen.
entremet
Member
Man, talk about hyperbole lol.
I guess you don't remember the iPod Hifi? And that came out during the Apple Renaissance. This looks way better than that.
Apple is in an unique position that when they announce something that is not balls to walls innovative, they're doomed lol. They're Nintendo at this point for amateur internet tech pundits.
My biggest beef is the pricing. Would love this to be 250 max. But if the impressions is that it is better than a Sonos Play 3, the pricing is in line with that plus it being Siri integrated. Although, I agree Siri needs works.
Camper Van Beethoven
Banned
Im sure the answer is obvious but Im guessing theres no input port on this at all? Didnt see any mention of it.
giancarlo123x
Banned
That price is outrageous.
Camper Van Beethoven
Banned
Better sound quality than what?
The competition, I assume. Reviews will tell for sure.
Camper Van Beethoven
Banned
That's what I'm waiting on. If it's comparable at least I'll go with this just because it's easier. But I'm kinda anxious about all this bass talk.
Frustrated_me
Member
Have you seen the price?
QuantumZebra
Member
IDK
I have never seen a company push old tech in a shiny new package better than Apple.
Their computers use hardware a gen behind other manufacturers... their phones are far inferior spec-wise to the competition (Just look at S7 Edge specs vs. iPhone 7... the iPhone doesn't even have a QHD screen), etc...
I gotta give it to them though; people keep buying it!
Screen wise for phones, sure apple is behind. But spec wise? 2 year old iPhones still outperform the latest android phones.
MisterR
Member
Don't iPhones continuously beat Android phones in all the benchmark testing? I just looked at a few and the iPhone 6 + was beating the S7 edge in most testing.
Mr. Wonderful
Member
I'm more curious if my Denon receiver is going to get an update to AirPlay 2. (It probably won't).
If it doesn't, then is the AppleTV going to be able to output 44.1kHz audio?
If it doesn't, then is the AppleTV going to be able to output 44.1kHz audio?
Poor GRIMES
Banned
GAF will complain and the HomePod will be a success
and the cycle continues
and the cycle continues
LyleLanley
Banned
Do receivers and devices need to be updated to AirPlay 2? It doesn't seem like anything different from classic AirPlay.
MisterR
Member
It sounds like the sound is much better, better than Sonos. If you're mainly interested in music, that's a big deal.
TheSkullPrince
Member
I like Apple products but when you can basically get two Echoes for the price of one of these, no thanks.
I'm sure this will still be a huge hit though.
I'm sure this will still be a huge hit though.
Camper Van Beethoven
Banned
Have you seen the price of high quality wireless speakers?
This is nowhere near as overpriced as most apple products if it has a comparable sound quality to a Sonos like device. If all you want is an echo than no shit.
smokeandmirrors
Banned
Yes. The "iPhone is underpowered and Apple sells old specs" meme is for people who subscribe to the amd theory that more cores are better and that higher numbers of everything (except for ram) makes it automatically better.
Apple processors are the absolute best in the mobile market. Absolutely no competition there.
Bitmap Frogs
Mr. Community
I assume you cannot play MP3 through these? No Spotify neither?
Camper Van Beethoven
Banned
Itll presumably play anything your iPhone can output.
It wont natively support voice command to that end though.
I don't think it's possible to say this. It all depends on the audio quality.
Jill Sandwich
the turds of Optimus Prime
This. They support Airplay, so anything compatible with that will work just as it always has, such as Spotify. It's unlikely that Apple will create APIs for Siri integration with rival music services, but never say never.
Jill Sandwich
the turds of Optimus Prime
Holy shit, dust lands on them. Order cancelled.
Camper Van Beethoven
Banned
Didn't google open Siri up to third party apps recently? I don't know if it's Spotify could choose to support it if they wanted to or not. Hopefully they can.
Jill Sandwich
the turds of Optimus Prime
Do you mean Apple? They introduced SiriKit last year but it only had a handful of intents, they've been extended in iOS11 to include:
No music integration though for 3rd parties
No music integration though for 3rd parties
Mr.Shrugglesã
Banned
"amateur internet tech pundits"
JerryImOuttaHere.jif
JerryImOuttaHere.jif
Give War A Chance
Member
Does every Apple thread go this way here too?
Yikes. Well, the price seems a bit high, but I'd need to actually HEAR the sound to see if it's actually Sonos quality. If so, once they fully explain all the things the digital assistant can do, this might not be as bad a deal as it initially sounded like.
Sure, there are cheaper alternatives out there, but if you're already in the Apple ecosystem AND it really does deliver on the "Sonos + Echo" line, that's pretty impressive.
Still might need to come down to at least $299.
Yikes. Well, the price seems a bit high, but I'd need to actually HEAR the sound to see if it's actually Sonos quality. If so, once they fully explain all the things the digital assistant can do, this might not be as bad a deal as it initially sounded like.
Sure, there are cheaper alternatives out there, but if you're already in the Apple ecosystem AND it really does deliver on the "Sonos + Echo" line, that's pretty impressive.
Still might need to come down to at least $299.
i'm not talking about services they support. Im talking about the actual protocol used to send wifi audio. In that regard there is no contest. Airplay is crap. I've used it for years and was simply blown away when i got my sonos.
The app works fine for me, not really sure what the complaints are.
Veritigo_X
Member
I think the negative reaction is because of the comparison to the Echo and the high price. A lot of people (myself included) were expecting a direct competitor to Echo/Google Home instead of a competitor to Sonos first with the home assistant stuff being more of a secondary function. I think it would've made more sense to have a cheaper Echo Dot like thing for people with existing setups while the more expensive HomePod is for people looking to upgrade or just get started.
entremet
Member
Could you clarify on the protocol? I'm curious.
My big issue is that Sonos needs to support specific services and apps first, while Airplay is app agnostic. They're great with music stuff, but I would love more support for podcast apps.
Marty Chinn
Member
It still matters a lot in that price range.
How does the echo compare with the home?
I've had various airplay devices since college, so over ten years. In house 1 turn the microwave on and airplay would cut out.
in house 2 with new microwave, new router same apple airplay, it would cut out when the microwave turns on.
House 3 again with new microwave, new router it would cut out. But even with a nighthawk router playing from my iphone or wifes the music would cut out periodically on its on. Streaming from itunes directly from a wired server over wifi to the airplay device it would cut out periodically on its own. Tried literally every wifi channel available on these routers, 2.4 and 5.8 ghz wifi. Even occasionally wired in Ethernet and it would still buffer and cut out.
When i got my sonos i hooked it up to the exact same wifi and router as the airplay device in the exact same spot and never once had a single issue with it cutting out, buffering, or flat out stopping music. Even with the microwave on.
i agree they could be faster about supporting services, but they have everything i want, which isnt that much pandora, MLB.com at bat app.
You can tell. 256kbps AAC is indiscernible from CD audio for most people. Spotify premium is 320kbps ogg.
Kung Fu Jedi
Member
Early reports on the HomePod say that it sounds amazing and looks much better in real life. Yes, the price is higher than the competition, but the speaker has far better components inside as well, which should make it worth the price for those who appreciate audio quality.
The bottomline is that it will probably come down to this: Those who just want a smart speaker to listen to music and interact with will probably get Alexa/Google Now. But those who want higher quality audio and appreciate better sound will fork over the extra cash for something better. Siri is just icing on the cake really.
The bottomline is that it will probably come down to this: Those who just want a smart speaker to listen to music and interact with will probably get Alexa/Google Now. But those who want higher quality audio and appreciate better sound will fork over the extra cash for something better. Siri is just icing on the cake really.
entremet
Member
Ah. I got you. Never had channel issues myself with AirPlay. Sono's protocol is rock solid, though.
DOWN
Banned
I feel like people in this thread don't understand that it isn't for people who don't care if their assistant base plays music nicely or who already have a preferred sound system? Like this is for people who want Siri iPhone connectivity and just want a decent music speaker solution so...
I just don't get people saying "I'll buy a Dot and speakers." Ok. Then clearly you are looking at the wrong thread with that takeaway.
I just don't get people saying "I'll buy a Dot and speakers." Ok. Then clearly you are looking at the wrong thread with that takeaway.
BannedEpisode
Member
I had a Bang and Olefson Bluetooth box for a while until I resold it (got a crazy discount and couldn't pass up the chance to pocket a few hundred) the sound quality was amazing for a wireless speaker.
If this has sound quality in that ballpark it would probably be worth it.
If this has sound quality in that ballpark it would probably be worth it.
If it's true and this indeed does sound better than Sonos' offerings, then people who are saying this is overpriced literally have no idea what they're talking about.
That being said I think i'll stick with my play 5 set up since all my music from various sources/subscriptions (e.g., Google Play, Plex, Cloud) is seamlessly integrated into their app.
That being said I think i'll stick with my play 5 set up since all my music from various sources/subscriptions (e.g., Google Play, Plex, Cloud) is seamlessly integrated into their app.
entremet
Member
Yep!
I suspect as we get closer to release of HomePod that AirPlay 2 features will be announced. They didn't say much about it other than Air Play 2 speakers can talk to each other (multi room capabilities).
MisterR
Member
Yep, people are missing the boat on this one. It's more of a Sonos competitor with Siri as an added bonus and if it's better quality sound than Sonos, then the price is certainly reasonable.
I think only those that are fully invested in apple will buy them. However with the "native" sonos integration coming to echo/home many will just opt to add that to their existing sonos systems.
I don't think I have seen it anywhere but has sonos ever announced how many speakers they have sold? Can't think that market is terribly big (if lucrative).