Can Apple reinvent home music with HomePod?
Apple believes that music begins at home.
That’s why they’re launching the HomePod, to bring you a new music experience in your living room, or indeed any space you want.
HomePod will be available in early February. Apple claims that it can definitely rock the house.
Do not get confused. The HomePod is not an Amazon Echo or Google Home device in a different package. Although it can serve as an assistant in the home, the difference is in the sound.
The tech giant says the HomePod is the ultimate music authority. It actually brings Apple Music and Siri together to “learn” your taste in music.
It works through a combination of Apple-designed audio technology and advanced software that is said to deliver the highest-fidelity sound in the entire room.
The device features Apple’s A8 chip. The company claims it’s the biggest brain ever seen in a speaker.
HomePod comes with seven beamforming tweeters designed with a precision acoustic horn that focuses sound for directional control. The sound will be consistent from anywhere in the room no matter where you are sitting.
Those who really like bass will appreciate the high-excursion woofer with a custom amplifier. HomePod uses an advanced algorithm that continuously analyzes music and dynamically tunes out low frequencies for what should be a smooth sound.
The HomePod is just under seven inches tall. Wrapped in a seamless mesh fabric, Apple says it’s designed for both aesthetic and acoustic performance.
Available colors include white and space gray.
Setting up Apple claims is easy. Plug it in and your iOS device will detect it. The device is spatially aware to adjust, giving you optimal sound no matter where you place it. You’ll even hear your requests from across the room while loud songs play.
If your room has acoustic problems, don’t worry. HomePod automatically analyzes the acoustics, adjusts the sound based on speaker placement, and then separates the music into direct and ambient sound.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the device is that it includes Apple Music and Siri. You can select virtually any song with Apple Music and train Siri to learn your musical tastes. Listeners can tell Siri what you want to hear or let her make suggestions for you.
Your other Apple devices will also include your playlists as you compile them on HomePod. Those lists will automatically appear on your iPad or iPhone.
Have a party? Your friends can also access your Wi-Fi network and stream their music directly to your HomePod.
Of course, as a smart assistant, you can always ask HomePod for live news, sports, weather, and traffic. You can even send voice messages or receive a call on your iPhone and transfer it to HomePod.
Unfortunately, like other Apple products, there’s no Bluetooth playback or audio plug-in. The device will only work with the Apple ecosystem, so leave your Android devices in the drawer.
HomePod is much more expensive than Amazon Echo or Google Home. Pricing will start at $350.
In a side-by-side comparison, as detailed by techradar, http://www.techradar.com/reviews/apple-homepod, the device held up well against the Sonos One, Harman Karden Allure, and Amazon’s latest release. Echo.
Still, the Echo compares favorably in sound quality and offers more apps for about a third of the cost.
As with other Apple products, the quality of the design and construction makes the HomePod stand out.
Apple fans will have to decide if hearing is believing and if the audio experience and functionality are really worth the price.
