“iPhone, Apple TV, iPad, Apple Watch — all of them were super interesting new products that, inevitably, were followed up with even better second-generation versions. iPhone got 3G and GPS and went international. Apple TV switched to iOS and streaming. iPad got significantly lighter and faster. Apple Watch got brighter, longer-lasting, GPS, and became swim-proof,” Rene Ritchie writes for iMore. “HomePod is a super interesting new product as well — but if past is prologue, the next version will be even more interesting.”
“In this case, though, I don’t think it’ll take full-on, next-generation hardware to get it there,” Ritchie writes. “Apple can do a lot to improve the first gen HomePod simply through software updates.”
“The moment HomePod was announced, many of us Apple TV owners immediately imagined pairing the two together,” Ritchie writes. “The dream was, HomePod would pair was automagically with Apple TV as AirPods do with iPhone and, once you paired them, they’d go into TV priority mode and just work for all your home theater needs. Alas, no such specialized pairing exists at present.”
Much more in the full article – recommended – here.
MacDailyNews Take: One major update has already been announced by Apple: Multi-Room Audio and Stereo. Coming this year in a free software update, users will be able to play music throughout the house with multi-room audio. If HomePod is in the kitchen, users can ask Siri to play jazz in the dining room, or play the same song in each room — perfectly in sync. If there’s more than one HomePod set up in the same room, the speakers can be set up as a stereo pair for an even more immersive sound experience.
SEE ALSO:
Apple may have over-estimated HomePod demand; $349 smart speaker still available for February 9th delivery – January 29, 2018
Apple debuts four commercials for HomePod’s debut – January 27, 2018
Apple’s HomePod is actually a steal at $349 – January 26, 2018
Digital Trends previews Apple’s HomePod: Impressive sound coupled with strong privacy – January 26, 2018
Hands on with Apple’s HomePod: Attractive, ultra-high-quality speaker, an excellent Siri ambassador – January 26, 2018
Apple’s HomePod, the iPod for your home – January 25, 2018
One hour with Apple’s new HomePod smart speaker – January 25, 2018
Apple’s iOS 11.3 beta delivers AirPlay 2 with multi-room playback – January 25, 2018
How Apple is positioning the HomePod and why – January 24, 2018
How I got talked into buying an Apple HomePod despite my reservations – January 24, 2018
Tim Cook says audio quality puts HomePod ahead of ‘squeaky-sounding’ competition – January 24, 2018
Apple’s HomePod arrives February 9th, available to order this Friday, January 26th – January 23, 2018
