The HomePod is this new product,
detailed hereand unveiled by Apple on Monday during the WWDC conference
2017,
the summary of which can be found here. This is a smart speaker,
announced as capable of quality audio retransmission in addition to integrating
the intelligent assistant Siri and being HomeKit compatible. Quite small
size, the object is expected in the comparison with direct competitors,
what are Google Home and Amazon Echo.
Initial feedback has already appeared on the web, coming from
journalist who has already been able to listen to the HomePod. And suffice to say that Apple seems
hit hard with this introduction, the HomePod is obviously not playing
in the same category as his opponents,musically speaking in
any case.
In fact, the first opinions from tech specialists appeared on the internet,
with the feelings described following testing the speaker and listening to
different titles. However, we do not currently have any technical data.
precise on the real capabilities of the HomePod speaker, only first
impressions are given for information purposes only, in direct comparison with
other models with comparable features or prices.
Thus, 9to5mac reports the returns of publications originating from
Business Insider, ofCnet, of
Engadget, ofTheVerge, but also
What Hi-Fi. The different opinions all come together in saying
that the HomePod outperforms other speakers present in comparison when
listening, orSonos Play 3and theAmazon
Echo.
You should know that the Sonos Play 3 is currently around
350 euros in France, it is therefore quite relevant to carry out the
comparison with Apple's solution, announced at349 dollars
across the Atlantic. The Amazon Echo, for its part, is still unavailable in
France, costs 180 euros in other European countries.
Concerning the HomePod, more precisely, the journalists who were able to listen
music on the speaker report excellent sound diffusion, which is
almost omnidirectional. No matter where you are in the room, you
does not lose music information, unlike the Sonos speaker, more
directive. The sound of the HomePod is described as enveloping, immersive, while
that it is also perceived as more impactful, richer and more
vivant…
Overall, it does better than the Sonos Play 3 speaker and largely
better than the Amazon Echo, for which the comparison is not very
rewarding.
The technology presented by Apple on stage regarding this HomePod,
making it possible to make a broadcast adapted to the listening room, accompanied by
the circular position of the different speakers inside, produces
visibly avery enveloping sound. It is in particular
particularly appreciable when listening to have the least diffusion
possible directive, especially for a speaker of this type which is intended to be a system of
sound system for a room or living space in which the user will have
obviously tends to move around a lot.
The comparison therefore places theHomePod in musical value,
It remains to be seen whether the speaker is just as comfortable during more in-depth tests,
more technical, in particular to gauge the maximum level without distortion of
the speaker, as well as its bass precision in particular.
Also left unanswered is the question of other functionalities of
the device, Siri and HomeKit. But barring unpleasant surprises, this should
work in a similar way to what can be done with the Apple
Watch for example, independent of the iPhone however.
We remind you, The HomePod will be marketed in December in the US, US and in
Australia, then later in other countries, at the announced price of 349
dollars.
Also read:
Editor-in-chief for iPhon.fr. Pierre is like Indiana Jones, looking for the lost iOS trick. Also a long-time Mac user, Apple devices hold no secrets for him. Contact: pierre[a]iphon.fr.
