Apple products are widely known for their highly quality and sophisticated designed tech products. The company recently revealed their smart speaker which they are calling Apple HomePod. Amazon and Google have already invaded the market, which may lead some to think that Apple won’t be able to make up to the competition. We have a different opinion here, Apple took over the mp3 and mp4 devices with the introduction of their iPod devices, which easily became the best multimedia device.
The Apple Homepod has some pros and cons, which almost every smart device in the market has. Let’s see how it holds up against its competitors by considering some of the key features and functionalities.
Design
The Apple Homepod is a spherical shaped speaker surrounded by seamless mesh fabric. The shape resembles that of the Mac Pro and has touch controls on top of the device which allows the user to increase/decrease volume, scroll between music, play/pause music and activate Siri.
Hardware and Sound
The Sound quality of the Apple Homepod has been highly appreciated and you have to give it to Apple for the quality of their products. It is powered by the A8 Chip which makes it more powerful than any other smart speaker on the market, it odder 1GB of RAM, 6 Microphones that can aid with noise reduction for the smart speaker to hear you even when you are far away from the device. The Homepod has 7 tweeters all around the circumference of the device and a 4-inch woofer to have the bass flowing.
The Homepod uses a technology called the Spatial Awareness, that adjusts with the placement of the Homepod in the room and reflects the sound from the walls in a way that it feels top-notch. Which means no matter where in the room you are standing you will hear the same kind of enriching sound quality. This can also let the Homepod adjust its sound if more than one devices are placed in the same room.
Functionality
When it comes to the functionalities of the Apple Homepod, there is still room for clarity. Apple claims that the device will be able to contribute to smart home with the help of Siri and play your music using Apple Music. The question of whether or not it will be able to connect or synchronize with a other music applications like Spotify is still unclear.
Verdict
Siri is lacking when it comes to the functionalities that Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant offers. However, the Apple Homepod was planned for a release in December 2017 but due to further development the release date was delayed. Maybe Apple has something interesting to add.
Apple Homepod will cost $349 which some people think is highly expensive when comes to the Amazon Echo and Google Home. However, logically the Apple Homepod is a competitor of the Google Home Max which is priced at $399. The actual comparison can be done only after the pod makes it to the market, for now, we know that the smart speakers are now in business.