The Apple’s love and hate story with the speakers comes from long. Years ago they had in their catalog a huge docking speaker for iPod that was a failure. Previously, they included in iconic models such as the Mac Cube some striking transparent speakers from Harman Kardon and even with the Mac 20 anniversary of the Bose sound system was bigger than the computer itself. However all this can change with the Apple HomePod.
As it has not yet been released in worldwide, we have not been able to prove it. But we will do it. Meanwhile we have compiled a series of things that HomePod is not able to do, and which we believe it should.
- The first one is in the road map, but nowadays it is not available. It is the pairing between HomePods that would allow to create stereo systems with two units or that would offer the multi-room function that other brands offer for years.
- Another of the current incompressible limitations is that it is not capable of recognizing different voices. Something that is certainly vital when we are talking about a team whose voice interface is its main and almost only form of interaction.
- As a smart speaker it offers few options at the moment. It does not synchronize with the calendar and therefore is not able to report appointments or events. It also does not answer questions like Alexa or google Assistant do. Siri seems to be under minimal.
- Related to the above, it is not able to make phone calls on its own. You have to start them from the iPhone and then launch them as if it were a hands-free.
- It is only compatible with Apple Music streaming service. Neither Spotify, nor Pandora, nor any other. We already know about Apple’s private garden, but this is clearly a double-edged sword.
- Such is the level of control of Apple that does not allow connecting any external sound source. That is to say that the only music that can be heard on a HomePod is that of Apple Music. If it is not there, forget it.
- Finally it is incompatible with any Android smartphone. Only iPhones from 5s onwards, some iPads and iPods. You cannot even launch music from an Apple computer to an Apple TV (which would make a lot of sense).
So the situation of HomePod is unique. No doubt it is a great speaker from the musical point of view (at least that’s what the lucky ones who have tried it say). It has advanced acoustic technology response stay recognition, as well as a personalized equalization. And of course it has a lot of potential (it serves as a home automation hub for HomeKit), but right now it is more limited than we would like for the $350 that it costs.
Surely Apple is the solution of the deficiencies and the evolution of the HomePod, but certainly opens many questions. Of course it is not the first time that Apple does something like this, the iPod is an example almost traced and yet it was the rebirth of Apple.
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