By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla
Little is known about Apple's upcoming HomePod speaker. It is expected to offer amazing sound for its size, it has accelerometers and advanced acoustic technologies to determine location, bounce off sound and calibrate for optimal sound. This could make it a truly-smart speaker in terms of audio playback.
HomePod has been easily dismissed as a late-to-the-game, me-too smart speaker. Apple's feeble attempt to eke out some profit from the insanely popular smart speaker segment led in the US by Amazon Echo and growing globally thanks to Google Home and the various sizes and variants they offer.
A Pod, like all Pods before it
I personally don't think Apple would do something half-hearted. The HomePod, by name, connotes access to an ecosystem. Remember iPod? That was the gateway device to iTunes, the Apple ecosystem and the sudden yet steady growth in profits a decade and a half ago that propelled Apple to where it stands as the most valuable company on the planet.
I'm not suggesting the HomePod will replicate the iPod's complete dominance of the MP3-playe and music market. Could it replicate the success of Apple Watch on the wearable space, not sure. Nor do I think it will replicate the iPhone's creation of a new product segment.
But, I am hoping that there's more to this product than it becoming an expensive AirPlay speaker accessory.
Like CarPlay, but for the home
Apple has sucessfully brought most of the functionality of iOS to cars through CarPlay. While developemtn of that platform has been slow and mostly Apple app centric, there's no question it works and brings the Apple ecosystem to vehicles. Apple TV, which was supposed to do the same for the home, didn't particularly fly.
There's valid reasons for this. Most users just want Netflix and many Smart TVs and cheaper devices already offer this. Apple TV is great if you have a lot of iTunes purchased content but the app ecosystem and even the home automation piece still leaves a lot to be desired.
HomePod could solve this. If Siri, HomeKit and even app integration through voice can be finessed through time, then the HomePod can be much more than a Siri speaker. By being able to interact with apps and services by voice, HomePod effecitvely becomes an entirely new interface and even its own OS. Apple already has the components (i.e. Siri, HomeKit, the app ecosystem and iCloud). If they can tie this all together elegantly and put HomePod at the centre, it could be compelling.
"We don't think it's just about HomePod though, or any one product, it's about creating an experience that moves with you throughout the day -- so the experience you have at home, is replicated in the car with CarPlay, at work with iPad and Mac, and when you're out for a run with Watch and iPhone. You can listen to the same music, control your home accessories or ask Siri to do something for you, wherever you are," Apple's SVP for Marketing Phil Schiller reflected on a recent interview with Sound and Vision magazine, which at least shows the company isn't looking at HomePod to be a one dimensonal product.
Baby steps
Apple isn't promising any of this right now.
They're selling the HomePod as a Siri enabled Hi-Fi speaker that serves up Apple Music content as well as your collection of purchased iTunes songs. There's no stereo pairing, no multi-room functionality, and it is only coming to three English-speaking countries in a few days. Hardly an agressive market domination move.
HomePod was delayed (likely because of AirPlay 2 not being ready for mass consumption), I imagine the limitation of countries pertains to language limitations (in Canada, that usually means French Canadian and Canadian English nuances are not yet available), I do expect HomePod to be an international product sooner rather than later.
I see HomePod as a new product category but also as a potential hub of exisiting categories, but it will take time to realize its full potential.
The competition is busy growing their partnerships, allowing Alexa and Google Home to talk to more devices and services. Apple's job right now is to integrate is various existing properties and ecosystems so they can be easily accessible at home or through the office.