Apple has created a wonderful speaker, the HomePod. All the reviews agree on the sound quality and the perfect design for any venue you have. But, as with many Apple products, we focus more on the bad. At the weak point of the new product. The surprising thing is that there are people who defend this weak point as the strength of the ecosystem. I think it's clear that I'm talking about Siri and Apple Music.
I still remember the first Apple TV I had. The third generation. Not long ago per se. The few and useless apps that it brought to Spain were the reason for questions such as: "But why did you buy it?", "Don't you have to have all the movies on iTunes for it to be of any use?" It was true. Until the advent of tvOS, with its app store, Apple TV was the most underused Apple product I had.
But he had it and he enjoyed it. It just wasn't as comfortable as you'd expect, unless you were using it as Apple intended. Buy and rent movies on iTunes, that was the plan for Spain, along with watching Keynotes live. That didn't last long for me, rather nothing. He knew what he had to do: VPN, install Netflix, US account, etc. to really enjoy the possibilities. And watch my library of movies and series thanks to AirPlay with Beamer, for example, or using screen mirroring.
With apps like Beamer I got the perfect definition of my third generation Apple TV. "An HDMI cable, no cable". While many connected the Mac to the television to watch a movie, I used screen mirroring or directly sent the content through AirPlay. I remember it with love.
And the fourth-generation Apple TV arrived and with it a restrained wave of apps was unleashed. Which rendered AirPlay and screen mirroring useless for me. The new concept was not "use Apple TV as we want", but "Use Apple TV however you want". It may take a long time to arrive, but it arrived better than expected.
Returning to the HomePod, it seems that the opinions are the same as the Apple TV in its early days. "What do you want it for if you don't have Apple Music? ", "It doesn't even have bluetooth, how do you plan to use it?" We are on the same starting line as the Apple TV. The HomePod not long ago per se, because Apple has a plan: Use Siri, use Apple Music, etc. But just like Apple TV, there is a further step to take. The step with which you will begin the path of true use of HomePod.
We must not forget that the HomePod is, above all, a speaker. Use it to listen to music, podcasts or whale sounds, the end result is that you won't notice it doesn't have Bluetooth, or "not compatible with Spotify." It is as simple as that most of the speakers in the world, with the exception of the Sonos and few others, are not compatible with these services. They are a mere loudspeaker of what is reproduced elsewhere. And as simple as knowing that AirPlay largely replaces bluetooth in an Apple ecosystem.
For example, I have a Beatbox Portable (yes, it's big and old, still with those big batteries) and a Beats Pill. I both turn them on and they automatically connect to my iPhone. I don't have to do anything else. Whatever was playing on my iPhone goes through the speakers. The same goes for the HomePod. Instead of activating the HomePod, we simply select it from the iPhone (in the control center, without much fuss), as we have been selecting the Apple TV for a long time, since they are always "on".
What else will it give that it does not have bluetooth? If you only have iOS devices (like Apple TV), the compatibility is there, whatever you want to play. I'm looking forward to seeing what Apple has in store for the fourth generation HomePod (podOS?), But until then, what many see as limitation, I see as ease of use. Bluetooth requires linking and turning on devices, while the HomePod has a simpler, more comfortable operation. Remembering the Airpods (although these do allow use with non-iOS devices).
And the same goes for Apple Music compatibility. It is not a compatibility, nor a limitation, it is an option. Like the Apple Watch series 3 with LTE, the HomePod can stream direct from Apple Music. Something useful, only, if you don't have your iPhone next to you. We have been saying for a long time that Siri has a lot of "room for improvement" (as a good consultant would say) and the reality is that, if you have the iPhone at hand, it is more convenient to select the music from it than to ask Siri. This makes Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube and the app for whale sounds equal in functions. We simply select the HomePod from the control center and enjoy.
... yes and then Apple will come, it will realize the shit, it will end up putting Bluetooth on it and it will sell it as a "feature" as it has not stopped happening with muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuulently.
Lately the duster is too visible. It makes us dependent on its ecosystem, and then it "pulls the cane." Honestly, I freak out with them. They love groping, flirting. See how much they can tighten the rope to the users, without breaking it. The last example, the issue of phone performance. They are very cute.
Pure and hard conformism is your thing. I hope you don't cut your veins, because the market will push for this speaker to do more than just start an audio track. what a fabric with some
A couple of questions:
1) My Apple TV 4K cannot use siri, because the Spanish language of Latin America is not included. Does the same thing happen with HomePods? Won't I be able to use siri?
2) I have read some reviews, praising the sound quality of the HomePods, WHEN LISTENING TO MUSIC; however when you connect it to your Apple TV, to listen to Movies or Series, they say that the result is not so good. Specifically, the dialogues are weak and the effects are oversized, which cover everything. And it cannot be equalized!
I would appreciate it if you can find out about those topics…. From already thank you very much…!!
Greetings Victor