Dan Pražák Apple has announced how the HomePod wireless and smart speaker will end up. Pre-orders for it will begin this Friday (if you're from the US, UK or Australia, that is) with the first units hitting their owners' hands on February 9th. In addition to this information, however, several other fragments appeared during yesterday afternoon, which we will summarize in this article.
It could be interest you
David Hanak The first information was about the AppleCare+ service. According to Apple's statement, its amount is set at $39. This extended warranty covers two potential repairs to devices that have been damaged through normal use. If the owner meets this condition, his device will be replaced for $39. As with other AppleCare+ services, the promotion does not cover cosmetic damage that does not affect the function of the device in any way.
Gallery
Another, somewhat more important piece of information is that the HomePod will not have some of the features that Apple has been appealing to potential customers from the start. Immediately after the release, for example, playback in several rooms at the same time (so-called multiroom audio) or the previously announced Stereo Playback, which can pair two HomePods in one network and adjust playback according to their sensors to create the best possible stereo sound experience, will not work. It will also not be possible to play different songs on two or more different HomePods in the home. All of these features will arrive later, sometime in the second half of this year, as part of software updates for both HomePod and iOS/macOS/watchOS/tvOS. These absences do not logically concern those who plan to buy only one piece.
It could be interest you
Tim Cook, who was on a visit to Canada in the last few days, spoke briefly about the new speaker. He reiterated that when developing the HomePod, they focused primarily on a great listening experience that should be unmatched. He also mentioned that due to the close connection between software and hardware, HomePod will be significantly better than competitors in the form of Amazon Echo or Google Home. The first reviews of the new speaker could appear as early as next week.
I admire the enthusiasts who still buy this box of promises.
well, 349 dollars to make it last for how long, a de facto ordinary bluetooth speaker is really a joke.
It's a long way from an ordinary reprak. If you were looking at a high-quality speaker with AirPlay, then the prices start at 15k, so if this speaker can do what I promise and it will play decently at least like the competition, then it will be one of the best in terms of price / performance ratio that Apple for sale ma.