Apple Updates iTunes for HomePod

First announced at WWDC past year, the HomePod is Apple’s first stab at the Amazon and Google-dominated smart speaker market.

However, in November, news broke that Apple had to delay the release until after the holiday season. All three are capable of controlling devices like internet-connected lights and thermostats, but with the HomePod, Siri and HomeKit, Apple has some serious catching up to do.

The wireless speaker is considered Apple’s contender in the surging smart speaker market, already dominated by Amazon with its popular line of Echo devices, along with Google Home.

Music lovers who want a HomePod but don’t want to part with their Spotify/Pandora/Tidal/etc accounts can still play their music through the speaker but it will be more like a pricey-but-stellar-sounding bluetooth experience.

As far as additional considerations, it might be worth noting that HomePod is designed for use with an Apple Music subscription – so keep that in mind if you’re a Spotify or Prime Music subscriber.

HomePod is controlled by tapping on the touch surface on the top of the unit, which displays a Siri waveform and volume controls.

Packed with Apple-engineered audio technology, HomePod uses advanced software for real-time acoustic modelling, audio beam-forming, echo cancellation and more, powered by Apple’s A8 chip, delivering a wide, spacious soundstage. It appears HomePod doesn’t have Home Sharing, which would enable that kind of feature.

HomePod will be available in two color choices, white or space gray. That said, it looks like Siri’s implementation in the HomePod will be much more limited than what Google Assistant in the Home and Alexa in the Amazon Echo, are capable of doing.

Apple’s HomePod becomes available for pre-orders on Friday. The device arrives in stores on February 9. Originally, the HomePod was supposed to hit shelves in December, just in time for the Christmas rush. The device’s microphone array lets you talk to Siri from anywhere in a room, allowing you to hear messages read aloud or check the news without picking up your phone. It will come to Germany and France later this year.