Tag: Apple HomePod

The Apple HomePod Is Getting 5 New Features

Although the highlight of the Apple Special event last night was the lineup of new iPhones, Apple did manage to slip in a little bit extra. The Apple HomePod is going to be receiving a few new features. These will probably bring it up to speed with its competition in the smart speaker segment.

The update involves increasing the capability of Siri with respect to the HomePod. Other than these features, Apple has also added support for a few languages in the HomePod. The device now supports Spanish in the US, Spain and Mexico and expands support in Canada with Canadian French.

With Siri on HomePod, you can also access these new features:

Search by lyrics: Until now, users could ask Siri to play a specific song. Now, you can ask Siri to play any song. Even if you can’t remember the name. Just say “play the song that goes like this…” and Siri will do the needful.

Set multiple timers: This is a big boon for those who are working on a project with multiple steps or someone setting up for a big dinner party. With multiple timers, you can ask Siri to keep you on track for getting that cake out of the oven, making sure you switch on those new lights and much more.

Make and receive phone calls: Now, HomePod lets you make and receive calls directly. You can also ask Siri to know who called incase you missed a call. To make a call, you can speak out a number or the name of the person you want to call.

Find my iPhone: This feature lets you ping for your iPhone in case you cannot figure out where you left it. This is already available in the Apple Watch.

Siri Shortcuts: HomePod users will now be able to set multiple actions into play with just one command. This is pretty similar to Alexa and Google Routines. What this means is you can program Siri to perform multiple actions using a single command. For example, “Hey Siri, good morning” is a single command. With this Siri could order your morning coffee, turn on your kitchen lights and share your calendar appointments for the day.

The launch date for this update is not known. It is expected around the time the iOS 12 is rolled out. That is on 17th September. Apple has not announced the update for India.

September 13, 2018
Apple Could Launch A Lower-Priced HomePod After Disappointing HomePod Sales

At the Worldwide Developer’s Conference 2017, Apple unveiled its first-ever smart speaker, the Apple HomePod. After a lot of delays, it finally went on sale on the 27th of January. So far, the smart speaker from Apple has been very well-received by critics for its sound quality. However, it appears that quality in performance has not translated into sales for Apple. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst at KGI Securities, HomePod shipments “could be far below market expectations” this year.

In a research note, Kuo has said that the market expects HomePod shipments to arrive at 5-10 million units in the 2018 fiscal year. But, according to their forecast, 2 to 2.5 million units of HomePod will be shipped this fiscal year. The major factors that could have impacted the sales of the smart speaker are its design and pricing.

The HomePod retails for US$ 349 in the US and Kuo believes this high price could “could undermine demand despite the excellent sound quality.” While the Google Home Max is even pricier at US$ 399, Google also sells the cheaper Google Home Mini and Google Home, which have the same smart qualities albeit a much lower price. This means that Apple might be persuaded into launching an affordable version of its smart speaker, especially since that is what its competitors are doing as well.

Google Home, Home Mini

Ming-Chi Kuo has said the lower-cost HomePod might be a quick fix for sales but, not a long-term option. He believes Apple needs to improve Siri, support more languages, and make other improvements to its smart speaker to stay competitive in the market. Kuo has often been right in predicting Apple’s products and recent rumours certainly support his claim for a more affordable HomePod. However, whether these predictions will indeed be proven right is yet to be seen.

The Worldwide Developer’s Conference 2018 is just around the corner and like in 2017, Apple could unveil this lower-priced HomePod at WWDC.

April 14, 2018
Apple HomePods Are Leaving A White Stain On Wooden Surfaces

The Apple HomePod is Apple’s answer to Amazon Echo and Google Home. Ever since its launch, the HomePod has received rave reviews. It is even being termed as the best-sounding smart speaker on the market right now. According to a number of HomePod users, the Siri-powered speaker tends to leave a permanent mark on the wooden surface. The marks are quite reminiscent of a hollow circle, that has a major effect on the oil-based wood table.

After such complaints, Apple updated its official support page for HomePod. It now reads:

It is not unusual for any speaker with a vibration-dampening silicone base to leave mild marks when placed on some wooden surfaces. The marks can be caused by oils diffusing between the silicone base and the table surface, and will often go away after several days when the speaker is removed from the wooden surface.

If not, wiping the surface gently with a soft damp or dry cloth may remove the marks. However, if marks persist, clean the surface with the furniture manufacturer’s recommended cleaning process. If you’re concerned about this, we recommend placing your HomePod on a different surface.

HomePod’s Base is made using soft Silicone, which is known to observe oil on a molecular level, which makes the table dry creating a permanent mark. Apple announced its Siri-powered smart speaker HomePod at its developer conference in June 2017. At the time, the company said it would go on sale in December 2017. However, due to some reasons, Apple pushed the release and it went on sale on the 9th of February.

Apple HomePod

Powered by the same chipset as the iPhone 6, the smart speaker runs on the A8 chipset. It has built-in Siri, six microphones and HomeKit support to control compatible smart home devices. An interesting feature is the ability to automatically optimise sound for a given room. The Google Home Max also has a similar feature where it automatically optimises the sound based on where it is kept in a room. It also has seven tweeters and a high excursion woofer.

Despite the late launch, the HomePod will ship without features like AirPlay 2, which allows pairing and multiroom audio.

February 15, 2018