A Smart Home Hub with HomeKit at the Center
Apple had long been rumored to be readying a smart speaker to challenge the Amazon Echo and Google Home - and, this month finally unveiled it. It’s called the HomePod and has Siri built-in for answering a broad array of queries and controlling HomeKit-compatible smart home appliances. However, there’s a lot more to the HomePod than even all of that. Apple has primarily billed it as set to revolutionize homebased music listening, hinting at a somewhat unorthodox strategy.
A typically Apple take on the smart speaker
Many aspects of the HomePod shouldn’t overly surprise; in fact, in many ways, it is a very Apple-like approach to the smart speaker. With its 6.8-inch-tall and 5.6-inch-wide body covered almost entirely by a mesh fabric, it adheres strongly to the company’s trademark minimalist design philosophy. Furthermore, it will be significantly more expensive than the competition, with a US price that is nearly twice as high as the Echo’s. However, Apple has long prioritized product quality before pricing concerns - and has gone a long way towards making the HomePod justify its $349 price tag. One apparent reason why Apple has resisted being too fierce with its pricing is that, with the HomePod, it isn’t merely targeting the likes of the Echo and Google Home. It also has, in its crossfire, the Sonos speakers aimed at delivering an unparalleled music experience in the home. Given Apple’s impressive music heritage going right back to that 2000s hit the iPod and through to Apple Music, its namesake festival, and more, the company seems well positioned to act effectively on this strategy.
As Apple executive, Phil Schiller explained when introducing the HomePod on the WWDC stage earlier this month, the HomePod will be available for less than a separate smart speaker and Sonos-like music system combined. He drew much attention to how the HomePod’s advanced hardware will be capable of elevating music listening in the home. The high-excursion woofer can play a broad range of rich bass, while the seven tweeters can aim beams to make the music sound good from all angles.
Sound Quality that is... Sound
However, if Apple markets the HomePod for music-listening first and as a home assistant second, the technology needs to stand up to testing. Thankfully, it has - so far. Members of the press allowed to hear a prototype HomePod at WWDC were impressed, as MacRumors details. Engadget enthused that the HomePod “sounded crisp and bright no matter the musical genre fed through it.” CNET said that it sounded “bolder and more vivid than Sonos PLAY:3 ... and a lot better than the Amazon Echo”, which Business Insider likened to “someone ... singing through a tin can a mile away.”
That site’s writer Steve Kovach reported that the HomePod could “fill a large room very well and sounded great no matter what angle I was listening from.” According to Apple, this is due to the HomePod’s ability to tune itself smartly and, with its audio-balancing, take account of exactly what room or position it is in. Doubtless playing a large part in that is the HomePod’s A8 processor, which is also in the iPhone 6 series, iPad Mini 4, and fourth-generation Apple TV. Kovach added that the HomePod’s sound quality improved further when synced with another HomePod for stereo playing.
You probably already use AirPlay to stream music from your iOS device to an Apple TV. However, with AirPlay 2, announced at WWDC, it will also be possible to stream that audio to multiple compatible speakers simultaneously.
You will then be able to enjoy a multi-room listening experience, which you will have the option of tailoring with multi-ambient controls on a device running iOS 11. The HomePod will be compatible with AirPlay 2 - which also, compared to its predecessor, will have a lower latency for faster speeds.
Hey Siri, what are you like on the HomePod?
Apple devoted so much time to explaining the HomePod’s audio capabilities and Apple Music integration that we heard little about the device’s potential for helping with home routines. Nonetheless, that subject wasn’t completely neglected in the keynote. Say “Hey Siri,” and at the HomePod’s top, a light will appear to indicate that Siri is listening. You can ask Siri to control such HomeKit-ready accessories as light bulbs, garage doors, and security cameras.
You can also ask Siri types of queries that you can direct to it on an iPhone or iPad. So, whether you want Siri to set a 10-minute timer, tell you what’s in the news, translate a sentence from a foreign language, or play a specific album on Apple Music, all of that - and much more - is possible. A lot of this seems very much in the Echo’s realm - but, together, are Siri and HomeKit really enough to help Apple draw many people’s attentions away from the smart speaker competition?
Why Siri and HomeKit could be crucial to the HomePod’s success
Siri is generally thought to have fallen behind voice assistant rivals Alexa and Google Assistant in functionality and usefulness. Thankfully, Apple is seemingly working head to improve Siri, having made acquisitions of major AI players and recruited machine learning engineers. However, TechCrunch’s John Mannes has noted Amazon’s admission that music is the Echo’s most popular use case. Therefore, prioritizing the quality of the HomePod’s speaker makes a lot of sense for Apple.
As for home automation, the HomePod shouldn’t be a slouch in that area. There has been reasonable support for HomeKit from appliance makers. On Apple’s website, the HomeKit-compatible devices available for purchase include cameras, plugs, thermostats, locks, motion sensors, and more. Furthermore, Apple has recently made it easier to develop HomeKit devices, as developers no longer require an MFi license from Apple before testing such devices. Furthermore, authentication can now take place through software rather than a special hardware chip.
These changes mean that we should see HomeKit adoption among gadget makers continuing to grow and, likely, at a quicker rate than before. The enabling of software-based authentication means that existing products lacking HomeKit support can now receive it through a firmware upgrade. However, Apple has not loosened the hardened encryption that it has always used for the HomeKit authentication procedure - making HomeKit especially appealing for the security-conscious. Digital Trends has posted a complete list of devices that include compatibility with HomeKit.
Why the HomePod has a Promising Future
Apple has arrived relatively late to the smart speaker market. However, Apple CEO Tim Cook enthused to Bloomberg that customers will be “blown away by the experience” with the HomePod. He also noted that Apple wasn’t first with the MP3 player, smartphone, or tablet markets, adding: “For us, it’s not about being first. It’s about being the best”. Business Insider calls the HomePod a familiar Apple gadget in being “another piece of a simple, seamless, and interconnected system.”
Furthermore, it looks like Apple could succeed in monetizing the HomePod more effectively than Amazon has managed with the Echo. While it is still unclear the extent to which personal assistants can make money, it’s a different situation for the home speaker market in which Sonos competes. The wireless audio market will have, it has been estimated, a worth exceeding $50 billion by 2022. Therefore, the HomePod could be surprisingly successful at bringing in revenue for Apple.
Apple had long been rumored to be readying a smart speaker to challenge the Amazon Echo and Google Home - and, this month finally unveiled it. It’s called the HomePod and has Siri built-in for answering a broad array of queries and controlling HomeKit-compatible smart home appliances. However, there’s a lot more to the HomePod than even all of that. Apple has primarily billed it as set to revolutionize homebased music listening, hinting at a somewhat unorthodox strategy.
A typically Apple take on the smart speaker
Many aspects of the HomePod shouldn’t overly surprise; in fact, in many ways, it is a very Apple-like approach to the smart speaker. With its 6.8-inch-tall and 5.6-inch-wide body covered almost entirely by a mesh fabric, it adheres strongly to the company’s trademark minimalist design philosophy. Furthermore, it will be significantly more expensive than the competition, with a US price that is nearly twice as high as the Echo’s. However, Apple has long prioritized product quality before pricing concerns - and has gone a long way towards making the HomePod justify its $349 price tag. One apparent reason why Apple has resisted being too fierce with its pricing is that, with the HomePod, it isn’t merely targeting the likes of the Echo and Google Home. It also has, in its crossfire, the Sonos speakers aimed at delivering an unparalleled music experience in the home. Given Apple’s impressive music heritage going right back to that 2000s hit the iPod and through to Apple Music, its namesake festival, and more, the company seems well positioned to act effectively on this strategy.
As Apple executive, Phil Schiller explained when introducing the HomePod on the WWDC stage earlier this month, the HomePod will be available for less than a separate smart speaker and Sonos-like music system combined. He drew much attention to how the HomePod’s advanced hardware will be capable of elevating music listening in the home. The high-excursion woofer can play a broad range of rich bass, while the seven tweeters can aim beams to make the music sound good from all angles.
Sound Quality that is... Sound
However, if Apple markets the HomePod for music-listening first and as a home assistant second, the technology needs to stand up to testing. Thankfully, it has - so far. Members of the press allowed to hear a prototype HomePod at WWDC were impressed, as MacRumors details. Engadget enthused that the HomePod “sounded crisp and bright no matter the musical genre fed through it.” CNET said that it sounded “bolder and more vivid than Sonos PLAY:3 ... and a lot better than the Amazon Echo”, which Business Insider likened to “someone ... singing through a tin can a mile away.”
That site’s writer Steve Kovach reported that the HomePod could “fill a large room very well and sounded great no matter what angle I was listening from.” According to Apple, this is due to the HomePod’s ability to tune itself smartly and, with its audio-balancing, take account of exactly what room or position it is in. Doubtless playing a large part in that is the HomePod’s A8 processor, which is also in the iPhone 6 series, iPad Mini 4, and fourth-generation Apple TV. Kovach added that the HomePod’s sound quality improved further when synced with another HomePod for stereo playing.
You probably already use AirPlay to stream music from your iOS device to an Apple TV. However, with AirPlay 2, announced at WWDC, it will also be possible to stream that audio to multiple compatible speakers simultaneously.
You will then be able to enjoy a multi-room listening experience, which you will have the option of tailoring with multi-ambient controls on a device running iOS 11. The HomePod will be compatible with AirPlay 2 - which also, compared to its predecessor, will have a lower latency for faster speeds.
Hey Siri, what are you like on the HomePod?
Apple devoted so much time to explaining the HomePod’s audio capabilities and Apple Music integration that we heard little about the device’s potential for helping with home routines. Nonetheless, that subject wasn’t completely neglected in the keynote. Say “Hey Siri,” and at the HomePod’s top, a light will appear to indicate that Siri is listening. You can ask Siri to control such HomeKit-ready accessories as light bulbs, garage doors, and security cameras.
You can also ask Siri types of queries that you can direct to it on an iPhone or iPad. So, whether you want Siri to set a 10-minute timer, tell you what’s in the news, translate a sentence from a foreign language, or play a specific album on Apple Music, all of that - and much more - is possible. A lot of this seems very much in the Echo’s realm - but, together, are Siri and HomeKit really enough to help Apple draw many people’s attentions away from the smart speaker competition?
Why Siri and HomeKit could be crucial to the HomePod’s success
Siri is generally thought to have fallen behind voice assistant rivals Alexa and Google Assistant in functionality and usefulness. Thankfully, Apple is seemingly working head to improve Siri, having made acquisitions of major AI players and recruited machine learning engineers. However, TechCrunch’s John Mannes has noted Amazon’s admission that music is the Echo’s most popular use case. Therefore, prioritizing the quality of the HomePod’s speaker makes a lot of sense for Apple.
As for home automation, the HomePod shouldn’t be a slouch in that area. There has been reasonable support for HomeKit from appliance makers. On Apple’s website, the HomeKit-compatible devices available for purchase include cameras, plugs, thermostats, locks, motion sensors, and more. Furthermore, Apple has recently made it easier to develop HomeKit devices, as developers no longer require an MFi license from Apple before testing such devices. Furthermore, authentication can now take place through software rather than a special hardware chip.
These changes mean that we should see HomeKit adoption among gadget makers continuing to grow and, likely, at a quicker rate than before. The enabling of software-based authentication means that existing products lacking HomeKit support can now receive it through a firmware upgrade. However, Apple has not loosened the hardened encryption that it has always used for the HomeKit authentication procedure - making HomeKit especially appealing for the security-conscious. Digital Trends has posted a complete list of devices that include compatibility with HomeKit.
Why the HomePod has a Promising Future
Apple has arrived relatively late to the smart speaker market. However, Apple CEO Tim Cook enthused to Bloomberg that customers will be “blown away by the experience” with the HomePod. He also noted that Apple wasn’t first with the MP3 player, smartphone, or tablet markets, adding: “For us, it’s not about being first. It’s about being the best”. Business Insider calls the HomePod a familiar Apple gadget in being “another piece of a simple, seamless, and interconnected system.”
Furthermore, it looks like Apple could succeed in monetizing the HomePod more effectively than Amazon has managed with the Echo. While it is still unclear the extent to which personal assistants can make money, it’s a different situation for the home speaker market in which Sonos competes. The wireless audio market will have, it has been estimated, a worth exceeding $50 billion by 2022. Therefore, the HomePod could be surprisingly successful at bringing in revenue for Apple.
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