[the_gastropod]

Apple is rarely first to market for anything. They didn't release the first mp3 player, they released the best one. They didn't come out with the first smart phone, first tablet, or first smart watch, either. They rarely shine in feature-to-feature comparisons, either. The iPhone did less than the blackberries it destroyed. It just did the important things better.

It will be interesting to see how the Homepod plays out. If it's successful, it almost certainly won't be because it out-features the competition. And they almost certainly haven't lost because they weren't first to market.

[digi_owl]

> they released the best one

More like the most marketed one. I recall reporters going out and asking teens at the mall about their media players. And most could not name the company behind it but new they had to have the one with the fruit logo because that was the "fashionable" one to have.

Similarly, check the cases and covers for phones etc. The only ones with a big ass window on the back to show off the logo is the ones meant for iphones.

The fruit has long since become a fashion brand.

[MBCook]

I agree with everything you said about Apple’s MO.

But this thing is expensive. Siri almost seems grafted on (they wouldn’t even let people try it at the announcement) to a speaker that was already in development.

I wonder if this will be the iPod HiFi 2.0. Sounds great, too expensive, no one cares.

I’m curious about it but have no real interest in it as a speaker or assistant.

Reviews should prove interesting.

[slantyyz]

>> But this thing is expensive.

I don't necessarily agree. I was shopping around for multi-room audio solutions, namely Sonos. I don't think the Homepod price is that out of whack compared to Sonos or Google Home Max. And this is coming from someone who generally finds Apple products way overpriced.

[MBCook]

That may be. I guess it’s within reason for the multi-room solutions. But

1) How big is that market?

and

2) It doesn’t do multi-room at launch

This all just feels odd to me. Like it slipped through a hole in Apple’s process.

[slantyyz]

1) Don't know. But not all of Apple's other markets are as huge as iPhone/iPad/Mac Laptops (i.e., Apple TV, Mac Pro).

2) In fairness, Amazon Echo did not do multi-room at launch either. I tend to think Apple fans won't have a problem waiting for that feature update. I'm not an Apple fan myself any more, but in general, when they do a feature, they do it right.

[jacksmith21006]

Not always. Last Apple speaker lasted 18 months for being pulled because of weak sales. It was priced as $350.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod_Hi-Fi iPod Hi-Fi - Wikipedia

[Schlaefer]

Why the sentiment is right, their products always offered a very perceivable leap in some areas. But what "important thing" does the HomePod better? It feels like a late me-too for people who are locked in the ecosystem (i.e. Apple Music).