Thoughts on the Apple HomePod

Just when I thought Apple wasn't going to release another product that'd want to make me drop everything else. As all new Apple products are, the HomePod is a bit polarizing. While it has received some very great reviews about the sound quality and general loudness from such a small device, a lot of criticisms are aimed towards it's lack of functionality with Siri. Here's my two cents, leading up to if you should be purchasing this device.

When looking at the HomePod insert on the Apple website, you have to scroll through four sections before you are prompted with Siri's functionality and capabilities. I think I'm getting the gist of what Apple is getting at, and what the HomePod is really intended for. Look, if you're in the market for a great speaker with added capabilities, I think the HomePod is great for you. The main highlights of this speaker is it's raw capability as a great speaker. When I visited the Apple store a few days ago, they were showing first and foremost how damn loud the thing can get and how well it maintains the highs, middles, and lows without distortion. The Apple page mainly shows what it can do as a musical device. 

I don't think Apple set out to directly compete against devices like Amazon Alexa or Google Home as a home assistant. Rather, it comes as a high quality, excellent build grade speaker with Siri as added functionality. While Siri can do good things, thats not the purpose of this speaker. Needless to say, this doesn't excuse Siri's general incompetence compared to Alexa or Google Home. She just isn't as good, and doesn't offer nearly the same capability as her rivals do. However, I don't think that is what the HomePod is in the market for. Alexa and Google Home function as barebone speakers; with that in mind, the HomePod blows them out of the water.

If you're looking for an excellent home assistant with a wide variety of functions, I'd look elsewhere from the HomePod and moreso towards Google Home and Amazon Alexa. However, if you're in the market for an extremely high quality speaker with added functionality, the HomePod is directly up your alley (especially if you're already familiar with the Apple ecosystem). It'll seamlessly work with your Apple devices and bring another level of enjoyment to the table. Thats really what it comes down to, in the end. 

I hope you guys enjoyed reading this! If you have any thoughts or discussion, drop it in the comments below. Go Steemit!