Apple’s Stumbling HomePod Isn’t the Hot Seller It Wanted

[79wjd]

6 minutes ago, Starelementpoke said:

Superior sound quality coming from the company that owns Beats made me laugh. 

Beats are actually quite a bit better than the shit they were known for pre-acquisition. Now they're just overpriced.

[suicidalfranco]

Jobs' one was better.

 

glad to see to see cook's bastardisation of it fail.

 

[mr moose]

7 hours ago, Some Random Member said:

Maybe it is only US smartspeaker sales, because correct me if im wrong, but you cant properly use the ALexa outside America(US and canada) so the Google has much higher market share in Europe.

Alexa is advertised pretty heavily here  in Aus.  I don't know how well it would work but for the features they advertise it  should.

 

 

[Drak3]

6 hours ago, potoooooooo said:

They are meant to compete with sonos, not with Google Home and Amazon Alexa.

Doesn't matter who they're competing with, they're worse than every other player regardless.

[79wjd]

5 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

Doesn't matter who they're competing with, they're worse than every other player regardless.

It matters in the sense that the HomePod isn't supposed to compete with the $40-$50 Home Mini or Echo Dot, but rather other similarly expensive speakers -- which was his point. 

[mr moose]

10 minutes ago, djdwosk97 said:

It matters in the sense that the HomePod isn't supposed to compete with the $40-$50 Home Mini or Echo Dot, but rather other similarly expensive speakers -- which was his point. 

It doesn't really make sense to separate features and performance from price in any competition though.  We wouldn't take a $500 acer and add $1500 to tag then  claim it is supposed to be competing with macbooks which is why it doesn't sell well compared to similarly priced lenovo's.  

[79wjd]

7 minutes ago, mr moose said:

It doesn't really make sense to separate features and performance from price in any competition though.  We wouldn't take a $500 acer and add $1500 to tag then  claim it is supposed to be competing with macbooks which is why it doesn't sell well compared to similarly priced lenovo's.  

Except that the Home Pod is designed to compete against the likes of the Home Maxx, the Sonos One (I believe it's the One), and the Echo View (?) -- the better sounding versions of their cheaper counterparts. Whether or not the more expensive variants make sense is another story, and how well the Home Pod competes against the other variants, is again, another story. But it's not fair to compare the Home Pod against a Home Mini and argue how terribly overpriced the Home Pod is. 

[mr moose]

4 minutes ago, djdwosk97 said:

Except that the Home Pod is designed to compete against the likes of the Home Maxx, the Sonos One (I believe it's the One), and the Echo View (?) -- the better sounding versions of their cheaper counterparts.

Home maxx I can understand but isn't the sonos just a speaker?

[79wjd]

1 minute ago, mr moose said:

Home maxx I can understand but isn't the sonos just a speaker?

The Sonos One has Alexa.

[mr moose]

Just now, djdwosk97 said:

The Sonos One has Alexa.

Interesting.   Then why are apple not doing well for sales? I would have thought they'd match sales curves of device like the apple watch.

 

[79wjd]

5 minutes ago, mr moose said:

Interesting.   Then why are apple not doing well for sales? I would have thought they'd match sales curves of device like the apple watch.

 

I would assume the majority of smart speakers are the cheaper dots/home minis. On top of that, Apple was late to the game whereas the Apple Watch was released back when the only real alternative was a Pebble. Plus, the HomePod is more restricted towards Apple services I believe.

[Shreyas1]

It seems like none of the pods are doing well this year ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[General Winter]

Just now, Shreyas1 said:

It seems like none of the pods are doing well this year ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

pods aren't worthwhile for most people compared to regular high quality features

 

in addition to being creepy and the security concerns with these devices(not that they don't exist on phones, but why have more stalking devices); i don't really see the value of voice command operations at home that you can't already do with your phone

 

[79wjd]

4 minutes ago, General Winter said:

pods aren't worthwhile for most people compared to regular high quality features

 

in addition to being creepy and the security concerns with these devices(not that they don't exist on phones, but why have more stalking devices); i don't really see the value of voice command operations at home that you can't already do with your phone

 

Because I don't want always on listening on my phone for battery life reasons nor is my phone guaranteed to be in the room with me, the speaker, on the other hand, is. I use one when cooking and my hands are dirty or otherwise occupied, and I could honestly see it being pretty useful in the bathroom to handle all the glorious shower thoughts.

 

As for security concerns, data is only transmitted back to server for processing when you say the keyword -- the Echo, for example, has a mini processor and a tiny bit of memory, which it uses to recognize an initialization command ('Alexa') to switch into a responsive mode, which triggers the main CPU, NIC, and audio recording to power up and then transmit to Alexa servers. Besides, I'd trust Apple far more than Amazon or Google.

[ARikozuM]

15 minutes ago, Shreyas1 said:

It seems like none of the pods are doing well this year ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Is that a jab at Tide? Wow...

[General Winter]

1 minute ago, djdwosk97 said:

Because I don't want always on listening on my phone for battery life reasons nor is my phone guaranteed to be in the room with me, the speaker, on the other hand, is.

 

As for security concerns, data is only transmitted back to server for processing when you say the keyword -- the Echo, for example, has a mini processor and a tiny bit of memory, which it uses to recognize an initialization command ('Alexa') to switch into a responsive mode, which triggers the main CPU, NIC, and audio recording to power up and then transmit to Alexa servers. Besides, I'd trust Apple far more than Amazon or Google.

i trust none of them, they're all hoarding your data for profit, apple just keeps their doors closed the tightest

 

and why not use a bluetooth speaker, if its worth shelling out $X00 dollars more for functionality already in the $1K iphone then sure, burn more money i guess

 

it really isn't warranted as convenient for myself or the majority of people i know, especially in apartments or other shared housing, you just piss off others and if you're having a party then you use standard powerful speakers anyway, especially for their asking price

 

 

 

if a tiny speaker that does nothing worthwhile outside voice commands and has lack luster sound quality compared to the competing speakers then its really not worth it (i would say get a phone with a better battery life but you're in the shitty apple ecosystem so i pity your dilemma) 

[79wjd]

5 minutes ago, General Winter said:

i trust none of them, they're all hoarding your data for profit, apple just keeps their doors closed the tightest

 

and why not use a bluetooth speaker, if its worth shelling out $X00 dollars more for functionality already in the $1K iphone then sure, burn more money i guess

 

it really isn't warranted as convenient for myself or the majority of people i know, especially in apartments or other shared housing, you just piss off others and if you're having a party then you use standard powerful speakers anyway, especially for their asking price

 

 

 

if a tiny speaker that does nothing worthwhile outside voice commands and has lack luster sound quality compared to the competing speakers then its really not worth it (i would say get a phone with a better battery life but you're in the shitty apple ecosystem so i pity your dilemma) 

How does a bluetooth speaker solve the smart assistant aspect.....And how does a smart assistant piss people off...or speakers for that matter. Do you exclusively use headphones in your own home (because I can assure you that the vast majority of people don't).

 

And the sound quality of the HomePod is similar to the likes of the Home Maxx/Sonos One, and far better than the Echo Dot/Home Mini. 

 

Android vs. iPhone is irrelevant, any always on voice assistant will drain the battery faster regardless of the device. But, sure, pretend that iPhones have significantly worse battery life than all Android devices and that an always on voice assistant doesn't drain the battery, be my guest.

[General Winter]

Just now, djdwosk97 said:

How does a bluetooth speaker solve the smart assistant aspect.....And how does a smart assistant piss people off...or speakers for that matter -- unless you exclusively use headphones in your own home. 

 

Android vs. iPhone is irrelevant, any always on voice assistant will drain the battery faster regardless of the device. 

my parents don't even know how to disable voice assistant and their phone last all day

 

 

and have you never lived with anyone who dislikes what music you like , the ranging occurrences will ultimately  make it not worth it at all, and very many people do live in that case unless you're the asshole of the house in which case i have no respect for your opinion

 

even then it might picked up something someone else said or some other issue thats not worth hassling with

 

if you live alone and you don't mind shelling money for an effectively mediocre product both in quality and effectiveness just for convenience then sure, it may be for you; but its an impractical pricey toy for most people, wireless headsets will also do the same thing and they have more functionality outside the home

 

personally myself, i've seen the draw of a "smart assistant" but they're in every phone so it goes back to why even get a speaker for something your phone already does; if your phone has bluetooth, it should be able to pick up your voice (like any bluetooth mic) and tell your phone to change the music since that's the biggest hassle of your life

[79wjd]

12 minutes ago, General Winter said:

my parents don't even know how to disable voice assistant and their phone last all day

And if you disable always on voice assistant, then it lasts even longer. I charge my phone once every two or so days -- if I had always on voice assistant then it would require a charge a bit sooner on that second day possibly before I get home from work. 

Quote

and have you never lived with anyone who dislikes what music you like , the ranging occurrences will ultimately  make it not worth it at all, and very many people do live in that case unless you're the asshole of the house in which case i have no respect for your opinion

The vast majority of people don't have random roommates, they're either living alone or living with family, in either case you're not likely to be using headphones constantly. In fact, outside of a college environment with a shared bedroom, I can't think of a single person I know who isn't allowed to play the tv or listen to something out loud.

Quote

even then it might picked up something someone else said or some other issue thats not worth hassling with

Good thing they can be restricted to only accept a certain individuals voice. And out of curiosity, how often do you say "Hey Google, ....", "Alexa, ....", or "Hey Siri, ...." in normal conversation? I'm gonna go with almost never over the course of your life (unless you/a friend happens to have the name Google, Alexa, or Siri, in which case, by the one which doesn't have that activation name).

Quote

if you live alone and you don't mind shelling money for an effectively mediocre product both in quality and effectiveness just for convenience then sure, it may be for you; but its an impractical pricey toy for most people, wireless headsets will also do the same thing and they have more functionality outside the home

Wireless headphones also require me to be wearing them at the time, and compared to the cost of living, $50 (or even $300+ for better sound quality) once every few years for extra convenience isn't much of anything. 

Quote

personally myself, i've seen the draw of a "smart assistant" but they're in every phone so it goes back to why even get a speaker for something your phone already does; if your phone has bluetooth, it should be able to pick up your voice (like any bluetooth mic) and tell your phone to change the music since that's the biggest hassle of your life

Do you have a tv, tablet, computer, house phone, watch, dishwasher, laundry machine, kitchen sink AND bathroom sink? A lot of the technology we have is wildly redundant, but we have it anyway as it increases convenience. You could also use the same dumb phone for the past twenty years and a cheap hotspot and bring your laptop with you everywhere -- no need to even bother buying a new expensive smartphone every few years. Ever go out to a restaurant? Why bother when you can cook yourself for much less. 

 

I have no problem with someone not seeing the value in a smart speaker, that's fine, but to pretend like they have no purpose is stupidly close-minded. 

[General Winter]

2 minutes ago, djdwosk97 said:

And if you disable always on voice assistant, then it lasts even longer. I charge my phone once every two or so days -- if I had always on voice assistant then it would require a charge a bit sooner on that second day possibly before I get home from work. 

The vast majority of people don't have random roommates, they're either living alone or living with family, in either case you're not likely to be using headphones constantly. In fact, outside of a college environment with a shared bedroom, I can't think of a single person I know who isn't allowed to play the tv or listen to something out loud.

Good thing they can be restricted to only accept a certain individuals voice. And out of curiosity, how often do you say "Hey Google, ....", "Alexa, ....", or "Hey Siri, ...." in normal conversation? I'm gonna go with almost never over the course of your life (unless you/a friend happens to have the name Google, Alexa, or Siri, in which case, by the one which doesn't have that activation name).

Wireless headphones also require me to be wearing them at the time, and compared to the cost of living, $50 (or even $300+ for better sound quality) once every few years for extra convenience isn't much of anything. 

Do you have a tv, tablet, computer, house phone, watch, dishwasher, laundry machine, kitchen sink AND bathroom sink? A lot of the technology we have is wildly redundant, but we have it anyway as it increases convenience. You could also use the same dumb phone for the past twenty years and a cheap hotspot and bring your laptop with you everywhere -- no need to even bother buying a new expensive smartphone every few years. 

im not going to argue everything you just said simply cause i don't care, but your last statement was especially low

 

the difference in convince between a "smart assistant speaker" and literally any of those applications is like saying i have to press a button is equally as hard as doing hours worth of manual labor (and the other are utilities and entertainment, which aren't even in the same realm but the same flawed logic still applies); i doubt you even thought this out so im not going to continue arguing with your flawed, rural logic where everyone listens to the same 5 songs in slightly different beats (even in my family loud speakers pissed everyone off, hence why my dad's personal dj room is in the basement and not on the main floor where everyone will get pissed off, especially my mother)

[General Winter]

7 minutes ago, valdyrgramr said:

Apple and cheaper don't go together.

*Apple and reasonable pricing don't go together.

[79wjd]

1 minute ago, General Winter said:

im not going to argue everything you just said simply cause i don't care, but your last statement was especially low

 

the difference in convince between a "smart assistant speaker" and literally any of those applications is like saying i have to press a button is equally as hard as doing hours worth of manual labor (and the other are utilities and entertainment, which aren't even in the same realm but the same flawed logic still applies); i doubt you even thought this out so im not going to continue arguing with your flawed, rural logic where everyone listens to the same 5 songs in slightly different beats (even in my family loud speakers pissed everyone off, hence why my dad's personal dj room is in the basement and not on the main floor where everyone will get pissed off, especially my mother)

Ah, better get going to mommy and daddy. 

[General Winter]

1 minute ago, djdwosk97 said:

Ah, better get going to mommy and daddy. 

oh and literally any other form of shared housing doesn't exist either in your rural town i guess

 

sorry i have decency with others who live with me

[79wjd]

1 minute ago, General Winter said:

oh and literally any other form of shared housing doesn't exist either in your rural town i guess

 

sorry i have decency with others who live with me

I live with three other people, and yet I can still watch tv/listen to music out loud. There's a difference between listening to something out loud and blasting the volume. Most people don't exclusively use headphones everywhere. 

[Dabombinable]

2 hours ago, valdyrgramr said:

Apple and cheaper don't go together.

They used to

 

"It does more, costs less, simple".

Contrast that to modern Apple:

"It does less, costs more, simple".