Don’t act like you’re not gonna get one.
Apple has always had a knack for releasing products that revolutionise the way we use technology. Think about the iMac, the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad, the Apple Watch… Well, maybe not the Apple Watch, but you get the idea.
At their Worldwide Developer Conference this evening, Apple head honcho Tim Cook made a change from their recent form of just announcing like little things like getting rid of headphone sockets, to unveil a potential new game changer: the Home Pod, which Cook claims will “reinvent home music”.
The rumors were true! This is the Apple Home Pod. #wwdc2017 #homepod pic.twitter.com/a2xWb830uw
— PCMag (@PCMag) June 5, 2017
Smart speakers like Sonos and the Amazon Echo are a big deal right now, beaming music all over your home and responding to voice commands. And something like the Echo is far more than just a speaker, intended to be more like friendly computer personal assistant than a simple jukebox, allowing you to shop, control devices, make to-do lists and check the weather, all with just your voice.
Our first look at Apple's new Homepod speaker. #WWDC2017 pic.twitter.com/joHSHBTK13
— CNET (@CNET) June 5, 2017
It’s been rumoured Apple were working on a smart speaker – but now they have revealed the Home Pod. Could this be the game changer that makes smart speakers mainstream? It seems that Apple are going for sound quality over trying to do everything – the Echo has good voice recognition technology, but as a speaker it has left some audiophiles wanting. The Home Pod seems to be more music-focused, using spacial technology to get the best sound out of whatever room you put it in, and tonight’s presentation featured little in the way of the virtual assistant queries that Amazon love to show off in the Echo’s advertising.
The Home Pod will cost $349, and be available in theUS, UK, and Australia in December. Will you be getting one?
