Home Sweet Homepod: A Different Kind Of Smart Speaker

Amazing Sound Quality For Immersive Music

- Benjamin Kerry & Gavin Lenaghan

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 home based 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.