If you’re a home automation fan, then you’re going to love Apple’s new HomePod speaker. Not only can you use it to control your HomeKit setup with your voice using Siri, but you can also use the speaker as a Home Hub. That means that you can leave it at home taking care of business, letting you dial in to tweak things from wherever you are in the world.
iFixit’s HomePod teardown reveals a veritable tank of a smart speaker that’s incredibly durable but virtually impossible to get inside. Unless you fancy using a heat gun and saw to open up your brand new Apple speaker, that is!
Apple debuted short four HomePod-themed ads over the weekend, showing off the speaker’s high-end audio playback capabilities. The ads are titled “Beat,” “Bass,” “Equalizer” and “Distortion” and feature some striking but simple imagery that subtly harks back to the clean dancing silhouettes Apple used to use to advertise iTunes and the iPod.
Check them out below.
Apple has been pretty outspoken about marketing HomePod as a high-end speaker that just happens to have Siri, as opposed to a smart speaker built around its AI assistant, like the Google Home or Amazon Alexa.
A new study published by Loup Ventures suggests one reason why: Because Siri is seriously lagging behind its rivals in terms of its functionality and ability to answer questions.
The HomePod reviews have been coming out hot and heavy, and they’re surprising. This week on The CultCast, we’ll tell you what people like, love and hate about Apple’s new speaker. If you’re planning on buying one, don’t miss our discussion. Plus: Something strange is happening at Apple HQ … we elaborate; 150 new kickass emojis are coming to your iPhone; and we pitch you the movies, gadgets and food we can’t get enough of in all-new What We’re Into!
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After months of delays, Apple’s HomePod is finally available in Apple Stores today. Before we get to the reviews, comparisons and tips, with our latest video we give you a tour of what’s in the box, show you how easy it is to set up, show it off in action and my first impressions.
In this week’s issue, you’ll find that story and more. Learn how to set up Apple’s Health app to unlock its awesome fitness potential. Apple is investigating iPhone X’s incoming call bug. Discover how to to see Cult of Mac at the top of your Facebook feed. And, now until Tuesday take advantage of a two-for-$65 promo on Nyloon’s lineup of great nylon Apple Watch bands. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.
After months of delays, Apple’s HomePod is finally available in Apple Stores today. Before we get to the reviews, comparisons and tips, with our latest video we give you a tour of what’s in the box, show you how easy it is to set up, show it off in action and my first impressions.
Check the video out below.
High-quality audio is the signature feature of Apple’s new HomePod. Apple execs brush off “Siri so stupid” concerns by emphasizing the sound quality of the device.
So the big question is: Will the HomePod be love at first listen? I just unwrapped one of the new Apple smart speakers, and my ears now have a little bit of a crush on HomePod.
HomePod has landed. If you’re an Apple fan who loves audio, it’s a wonderful day. If you’re a speaker company, however, you now have to compete against the biggest tech brand in the world.
Sonos has shown it’s not scared by trolling HomePod with a Spotify playlist that contains a hidden message.
If you just shelled out $350 for Apple’s phenomenally sounding HomePod speaker, we have one small bit of advice: Get AppleCare+!
Trust us, HomePod is not a speaker you want to break. And the replacement price without AppleCare+ is absolutely insane.
Apple’s HomePod is a smart speaker, but primarily it’s just a very good speaker. Siri is the (often frustrating) icing on possibly the best AirPlay speaker around.
Because the HomePod creates a wide stereo audio image, it’s also going to be great for watching movies. Today we’ll see how to hook up your HomePod to your Apple TV. Spoiler: It’s easy.
Apple’s quest to build the perfect sounding speaker could also give a huge boost to audio quality on future iPhones, iPads and Macs.
To promote the launch of its new HomePod speaker, Apple gave journalists a behind-the-scenes look inside the custom audio lab it built to fine-tune every aspect of HomePod’s sound. Not only did Apple one of the best audio teams in the world, but it also gave them tools no company in the world can match.
In the first reviews for Apple’s new HomePod speaker, everyone totally raves about the smart speaker’s pristine sound quality. Siri, on the other hand, doesn’t sound so brilliant.
Apple seeded a few review units to major outlets ahead of this Friday’s HomePod launch. The embargo lifted this morning, and the early reviews reveal a few surprising tidbits about the HomePod.
Here’s what people are saying:
Apple Music on your iPhone or Mac can be controlled with fingers, mouse, keyboard, or voice. But with the HomePod, you’d better get used to talking. While you can stream music to your HomePod with any AirPlay device, if you want to control the speaker direct, you’ll have to do some talking. Happily, you can get practicing right now. Siri already has a bunch of useful Apple Music commands you can use, so let’s take a look.
Apple’s new HomePod is flying off shelves with shipping times already slipping, but some Apple fans are already dreaming up what the next generation HomePod will look like.
Concept designer Martin Hajek published a beautiful new set of renders that imagine what HomePod might look like if Apple expands the product category to include larger and smaller versions of the HomePod just like with the iPhone. One of the mockups even brings back the iPod’s iconic click wheel.
Take a look:
HomePod shipping estimates have finally started slipping just days before the speaker makes its big debut. New customers in the U.K. will now have to wait until February 13 for delivery, but Apple retail stores will be selling HomePod this Friday.
Apparently, we can forget about big new features for iOS 12, as Apple is reportedly focused on “addressing performance and quality issues” in 2018. But, this is great news! Cult of Mac Magazine shows you five things that should rise to the top of Cupertino’s fix-it list.
In this week’s issue, you’ll find that story and more. Graham Bower explains why it sucks when fitness apps don’t share your workout data with Apple, while Apple confirms HomePod’s supported audio sources. And, discover how to make Mac’s Launchpad useful again. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.
The HomePod is like the creature the emerges from an egg in old-fashioned cartoons. The baby creature — dinosaur, bird, birdosaur — imprints on the first person it sees, then follows it around calling it mama or papa. Hilarity (of the 1970s kind) ensues, as the creature grows into a fully operational birdosaur and causes mayhem. Likewise, the HomePod latches onto the first iPhone it finds, automatically, and remains faithful forever (or until you unpair it, an option not open to 1970s cartoon characters).
But you can still let your friends have a go on your HomePod if you like. Here’s how.
HomePod orders are now “preparing for shipment” one week after Apple kicked off sales. Customers who have already claimed their device are seeing their credit cards charged ahead of the speaker’s February 9 launch.
With HomePod just over one week away from making its debut, Apple has confirmed which audio sources are officially supported. Apple Music and AirPlay are obviously on the list, but there are some big omissions.
The HomePod’s fancy gimmick is that you can use Siri to control it. Even when the music is loud enough to get your neighbors banging on the walls, Siri can hear you thanks to the six microphones’ ability to ignore the sound from the speakers. But touch is always faster than talk, so a quick tap on the top of the HomePod will often be better than trying to get Siri to understand you.
Apple will issue software updates for HomePod with important bug fixes, performance improvements, and (hopefully) new features. Here’s how you will update yours.
Apple’s new HomePod speaker might be the dumbest smart-speaker on the market.
Based on early reviews and leaked info, it appears that Apple has seriously crippled Siri on the new HomePod speaker and removed some features, making it vastly different than the version of Siri that lives on your iPhone.
You’ll need an Apple Music subscription to make the most of HomePod. But new details that have emerged since the device went on sale last week suggest you’ll be able to play tracks in your iTunes Match library, too.
Apple has rolled out four new ads for HomePod after finally kicking off pre-orders on Friday. Each is just 15 seconds long and focuses on sound quality rather than Siri. Apple clearly has no intention of fighting more affordable smart speakers.
