HomePod review: the best speaker though not the smartest

Apple's new speaker draws criticism for its closed ecosystem and praise for its sound quality. A new product in a category that Apple already launched years ago but was not very successful and inexplicably abandoned for many. Now the HomePod is here to stay, and we've tested it to share our first-hand impressions.

A configuration process in the purest Apple style, build quality that lives up to expectations, and a sound that surprises for its size. All this at the cost of a closed ecosystem that makes it ideal for many, not so much for others.. All the details, below.

First impression: 100% Apple

As soon as you take the HomePod out of the box, you realize that the product reflects the purest Apple style. A pristine design no matter where you look at it, no buttons, no logos, no connectors. Only the cable that connects to the speaker breaks the uniformity of the product, and it does so with a different construction than the cables that Apple uses in its products, as it is covered by a mesh that gives it a much more resistant appearance than usual. Perhaps because it is not easily replaceable, perhaps because Apple finally takes cables seriously ... we'll see.

I can't help but point out that the size is small for what I expected when Apple introduced it, although it is no longer a surprise because we have seen reviews that highlight precisely this aspect. However the weight is much higher than I expected. It feels like a chunky device, and that's always a good feeling.

Despite the fact that Apple users are always accused of "showing off an apple", on that occasion those who enjoy seeing the famous logo of the company will have to resign themselves because there is no sign that it is an Apple product unless you pick it up and look at the base, that's where the only apple you'll find on this HomePod is.

A delicious setup

The HomePod setup process is the same as Apple debuted with the AirPods and has now extended to virtually any new device you take home. Bringing your iPhone closer to the HomePod as soon as you connect it to the socket, a window will appear on your mobile screen and the configuration process will be practically automatic., without having to enter accounts or passwords. Of course, you will need to have two-factor authentication activated.

We have gotten used to this type of procedure with Apple, and you don't really appreciate it until you use devices from other brands. Many insist on not giving the merit it deserves, on the contrary, they even criticize Apple for not extending these functions to other platforms. I do not agree with this at all, If closed systems have these advantages, long live closed systems.

However, not all that glitters is gold, and for now the HomePod has a serious flaw that Apple must fix. During the setup process you will be able to allow the speaker to access your messages or your notes, for example, which is highly recommended if you want to use the speaker as more than just a device for listening to music. But if you do, you should know that as long as your device is connected to the same network as the iPhone, anyone can access those functions.

Speech recognition is something Apple has achieved for a long time, as evidenced by the fact that only you can invoke Siri with the "Hey Siri" command on your iPhone. That is why I find it incomprehensible that at this point I have not implemented the same voice recognition in the HomePod, and only allow strangers to access the music functions. Hopefully it will fix it in future updates, I am convinced of it, but in the meantime, activating or not this feature is in your hands depending on how valuable your privacy is or who can access your HomePod while you're at home.

Excellent sound quality

In case you've never read my review of a speaker or headphones before: I'm not an "audiophile," nor a sound expert. But I must admit that by dint of trying quality speakers and headphones, one becomes more demanding and learns to enjoy good music, and when I speak of good music I mean the music that one likes with its maximum quality of reproduction. And the HomePod, as all the experts except Consumer Reports have tired of repeating, offers absolutely spectacular sound.

Without fear of being wrong I can say that hardly anyone is going to find a speaker of this size and price range that sounds objectively better than the HomePod. Sound is something very subjective, and also its perception is very variable between people, but This HomePod is heard so crystal clear and without distortion even at maximum volume that you fall in love from the first minute where you tell Siri to press Play.

Knowing the construction of the HomePod, no one should be surprised how it sounds. Few (rather none) speakers of this size and price have seven tweeters and one bass speaker at their disposal to produce sound. And what surely no other speaker has is an A8 processor that is capable of capturing sound thanks to the six microphones. that the HomePod has and thus know how to take advantage of the walls and other obstacles to produce the best possible sound depending not only on the room in which we place it but also where we place it.

An accelerometer will know if we have moved the HomePod around to recalculate the entire speaker environment, and thus distribute the sound through the different strategically placed speakers along the entire circumference of the HomePod. The end result is an excellent sound that allows you to enjoy vocals and instruments in a truly amazing way. In this section, Apple engineers have done a great job. The sound is very well balanced, and its cylindrical shape along with the speaker layout They make sure that even if you move around the room you always enjoy excellent sound.

The volume is more than enough to fill an entire normal-sized room, but may be insufficient for larger surfaces. In my case, the living room has about 30 square meters and I enjoy music at medium volumes listening to all the details. Large rooms may need more power, for which it will be perfect to link two HomePods, but for that we will have to wait for a software update that will arrive shortly.

Siri again approves with fairness

The HomePod is made to be controlled by voice thanks to Siri. The touch controls on the glass top cover are merely anecdotal. If you are going to have it on your desk or on a side table you may use them often, but the destination of this HomePod is in most cases located on a shelf or furniture and therefore its ideal control is through our voice .

Here again we must highlight the enormous work done by the engineers who have equipped it with six microphones that capture our voice perfectly. Siri works much better on the HomePod than on my Apple Watch or my iPhone, and I speak to you in English. Without raising the tone of voice, from any corner of your room he will understand you perfectly, even from nearby rooms. It will also do it with the music playing, and I repeat, no need to shout.

But then there's Siri, and here we find this HomePod's main limiting factor. What Siri can do it does really well, but at the moment there is a lot that it cannot do, too much. You can of course control music playback, and this is where it shines. Choose lists, go forward, backward, control the volume, ask for the artist who sings, for the name of the album… All of this is great to do while enjoying your music while sitting comfortably on the couch.

If we look at more advanced tasks, you can send messages, or have the last received read to you. You can set reminders, create notes, ask about the weather forecast for today or make inquiries online. But little more ... and this is frankly little. If a call reaches your phone you will have to accept it on it and then you can transfer it to the HomePod, but that first step should disappear. You won't even be able to access the appointments you have on your calendar. Apple has limited Siri even in its own ecosystem, and that's so strange that I suppose it is because the integration with the HomePod is not quite polished yet, because any other explanation would be surreal. The good news is that this is fixed with any update at any time, and I am hopeful that will happen soon, perhaps as soon as iOS 12.

A closed and exclusive garden

Many have criticized the HomePod for its closed nature. It really is something that does not surprise me nor do I understand that it surprises someone. Apple has created a speaker that integrates with its devices and services, and that is precisely what it wants. If someone wants to enjoy the HomePod 100%, they must have an iPhone and Apple Music, with all that that means.. You already did it with the Apple Watch, in part it is very similar to the AirPods ... Do you want to enjoy Apple products in their full capacity? Well, enter his "private garden." It has always been that way, and it will always remain so, except for a last minute unexpected turn.

Therefore, I do not expect Spotify to be among the services that we can use with Siri on the HomePod. Yes we can use Spotify, Tidal or any other audio source with our HomePod using AirPlay, but once you try Siri with Apple Music, everything else seems uncomfortable. Even my children with their English still a little rudimentary already enjoy their music thanks to Siri.

Being compatible with AirPlay we can send the audio from any of our Apple devices, from a Mac computer to the Apple TV. Two HomePods on either side of the TV and your HomeCinema will be great as long as you use the Apple TV, of course. Bluetooth connectivity is not for those necessities and there is no audio input, neither analog nor digital, so you won't even be able to send the sound from your TV to the HomePod.

No recognition of different voices

We come to another of the points with which you have to be critical with this HomePod, and it affects nothing more and nothing less than your voice control. As long as your iPhone is connected to the same network as HomePod, anyone can access your messages, reminders or notes using your voice. It is true that your iPhone must be close, and therefore you too, but it is still a very important inconvenience for many.

The strange thing is that Apple has already used voice recognition for a long time, only you and no one else can use "Hey Siri" on your iPhone, so it is not understood that the HomePod has not implemented it. The normal thing would be that anyone could use the music, or the HomeKit control, but not other functions such as your messages or notes.

Another problem Apple needs to polish related to voice control is having so many devices that respond to "Hey Siri." By default it is always the HomePod that answers your call, but this is sometimes a problem. With my Apple Watch it is as simple as invoking Siri just after turning the wrist, with the screen on. If I do it like this, the HomePod does not respond and it is the watch that takes care of it. But with the iPhone I can not find the way to answer me. Even if it is locked, even if I lift it up and the screen is activated ... it is always the HomePod that responds to me. Taking into account that there are things that I can do with Siri on my iPhone and not with the HomePod, the truth is that it is a drawback.

Controlling HomeKit with your voice

Little by little HomeKit is making its way even among the most skeptical, which is helping the prices of accessories compatible with the Apple platform they are becoming more affordable thanks to the greater number of manufacturers that are appearing on the market. Brands such as Koogeek are launching very interesting products at prices lower than what we were used to up to now, and the arrival of IKEA in this category will also have a decisive influence on its "universalization".

But one of the aspects that was missing was the fact of needing an iPhone or an iPad to control the accessories. It is very good for those of us who have an Apple Watch, because by turning the wrist you could turn a light on or off, but those who do not have it they were slaves to using their iPhone to turn off the HomeKit light bulb when they went to bed. Worse yet, what about the little ones in the house who don't have an iPhone?

With the HomePod all this changes because anyone can use your HomeKit accessories, regardless of whether they have an iCloud account, iPhone or iPad. Children can turn on the living room light by asking Siri, or you can conveniently turn it off from the sofa to take a nap or go to bed. Controlling your thermostat for heating or any other task that compatible devices you have at home can perform is possible with the HomePod. It was something we had needed for a long time, and since Apple was reluctant to add a microphone to Apple TV, at least now we do have a microphone for Siri always listening.

Editor's opinion

The HomePod is a music lover's delight. Apple promised a speaker where sound quality would be paramount and it has kept its word. Everyone agrees: it is the smartest speaker with the best sound, within its category, for size and price, you will not find anything that sounds better than the HomePod. But everything has its price, and the one that is paid with this new Apple device is almost a blood oath with the brand. To make the most of its functions, you will need to be immersed in the company's ecosystem, have your iPhone and use Apple Music. The Apple Tv or HomeKit are two more add-ons that will make the HomePod even more interesting if you have them, not to mention the multiroom when AirPlay 2 arrives.

But we cannot forget its shortcomings, and they all have a single culprit: Siri. Apple has taken it easy when it comes to adding smart features to the HomePod, and while the ones it already has work really well, it's inexcusable that even with native apps like Calendar the HomePod is so limited. The good news is that this can / should change, because these are problems that will be fixed in any software update, but until then you will not be able to get 100% performance from this smart speaker, which in this facet is still behind the competition, let it be said, it is not available in Spain or many other countries either.

If we take the pros and cons of the HomePod, yesu purchase is more than recommended for those Apple users who already have an ecosystem set up at home around the apple brand. If this is not your case, the HomePod may be the final push you need to do it, but if you are not willing to be so faithful to the same brand, you may have to look the other way, although when you listen to it you will turn your head for sure .