Apple Homepod Review - Success or Flop?

[@Christarpher]

I pulled the trigger at $250 just a few weeks back and don't regret it. I thought my Harmon Kardon Onyx Studio sounded good, but then I turned the homepod on.. It absolutely overshadows the harmon kardon. Apple really needs to permanently lower the price to $250, because at that price it's truly a great deal.

[@UndecidedMF]

Agreed!

[@avildn]

Same here I had a HK Onyx Studio 2 (in fact I still do in my bedroom) and have the HomePod in the living room. EVERYBODY who comes over loves it, myself included. The sound quality is solid and watching my friends beef each other to get Siri’s attention will never get old

[@BeesonsCars]

I have the HK Onyx studio and the HomePod as well. But, I find the HK much louder and fuller than the HomePod. But the HomePod sounds better overall. Both are great, but the HomePod blows it away on sound quality. The HK is just more “loud” which is sometimes great. But if I’m chilling in my bedroom I use my HomePod and love there detailed audio quality. I recommend it to everyone. (It’s also shamed me into paying for Apple Music. )

[@kylesvideos59]

Avinash Beghi the problem with the HK is that it’s crossover point completely kills sub bass almost entirely, this is where the HomePod shines. HK also has boosted mids with completely absent lows so while it gets louder, a song with bass tones under 80-100hz will sound flat and leaves you feeling dissatisfied. I’ve also found that HK has a real bad thing for “sweet spots” as to where you place them. Bass can sound heavy sitting on the left side of the couch but flat when you sit on the right side of the couch. Homepods mics (almost) completely rid this problem. To me, I want to hear the full spectrum of audio range when I listen to music and HomePod does just that for me. I’d say a $299 price tag would be perfect for the HomePod

[@abillow]

Have to admit. One HomePod is good but a stereo pair is even better. The 360 sound means you can put just one in the middle of a room and have adequate sound throughout. No other speaker does that and there is nothing as simple as Airplay 2.

[@UndecidedMF]

I’m most likely going to be picking up a second one sometime soon. It’s really impressive.

[@randysavage7351]

Matt, you're killing it! If you keep pumping out videos at this quality, you're going to be HUGE. I am rooting for ya

[@UndecidedMF]

Thanks! Appreciate it. Tell your friends ;-)

[@iOB]

I received a couple of HomePods for Christmas to replace the 3 google minis that we had throughout the house. They (minis) didn't do that good of a job controlling my smart home equipment which was infuriating. Almost all of our lighting is Philips Hue. We also have an Ecobee 4, 2 august smart locks, and several smart plugs. The HomePods do such an awesome job of controlling everything in the house. I can almost whisper, and they almost always hear my requests. I have experienced an issue with one of them (not both, ironically) failing to make the connection to my Philips Hue lights. After resetting it, it works fine. I'm hoping they're on sale again soon for $249, because I want a 3rd so that I can use a stereo pair in the living room (our current second one is in our office). The sound is pretty good too. I listen to several genres of music, with 90s R&B being my favorite. I also enjoy rap and hip hop, pop, music from both the baroque and romantic periods. Regardless of what I play, these things sound great. I definitely think they're worth the $250. I'd be willing to buy ONE at $350 if they had never been on sale. But since they have, I'll be waiting for the sale again before I pull the trigger on that 3rd one!

[@iOB]

OH! Having Google anything in my house with a microphone or camera is terrifying. I don't trust 'em at all. Not saying Apple is completely innocent or perfect, but I trust Apple with my conversations and personal information far more than I trust google to listen in on my conversations! That's another reason we got rid of the Google Home minis

[@UndecidedMF]

Really great rundown. Thanks for sharing! Definitely go with the companies you trust when it comes to these always listening devices. In two weeks I have a video comparing Google, Siri, and Amazon smart speakers and shortly after that I have one on Privacy Protection ... hitting your second posts reasoning square on the head.

[@sgodsellify]

First of all, HomeKit support is really lacking, and there is only around 600 HomeKit devices, and around 150 of those devices are support for AirPlay on other smart speakers or other sound related devices. So really you have around 450 supported HomeKit devices. Amazon supports over 60,000 home devices. Google supports 50,000 home devices. Siri is also lacking big time, and it's voice support for other things like other apps is just crap, especially compared to the other voice platforms.

[@laurensligtenberg]

I think a big point you are missing is the privacy. Privacy is also what slows down Apple since it does not download and analyse all conversations in the room like amazone and google do. So it is all about privacy and am willing to pay more aslong as my privacy is guaranteed. People selling their privacy for just getting cheaper speaker is in my opinion making yourself an easy target for google and amazone to even more sell you happy short lived feelings. Where the real problem is that tech will never make you happy as a person, you have to make yourself happy and one pre-requisite is freedom to think, speak and do. That is exactly what google, amazone, facebook take away with there market model --> free services but more advertisement to get you to buy stuff you and the world don't need. :-)

[@yasiru221]

Exactly! Privacy is a huge issue that so many tech reviewers seem to overlook. Apple is the only mainstream tech company I am aware of that doesn't sell private information.

[@UndecidedMF]

I actually haven’t missed that point, but decided not to focus on that angle for this specific video. The reason ... I have a video coming out in two weeks on privacy (already shot and am in the process of editing it now). Apple is the only giant tech company taking this stand and making it a major marketing point of their products. I wish more companies would take that stance, as well as more people thinking about what they’re trading for these services. Stay tuned!

[@phaZed9]

Um, so Amazon, Google and Sonos Speakers have 'always' had the option to turn of the Mics... Apple had to receive an update that added the "Mic off" feature in 1Q 2018. www.theverge.com/2018/1/22/16918344/homepod-icons-ios-beta So, Apple doesn't sell your data.. they simply have a lengthy App-approval process that explicitly allows the covert collection and selling of your data via the App Store and its apps. Don't forget your iPhone has a very specific use for the IDFA (Advertising Identifier) - can you guess what that's for? I guess going to Settings->Privacy->Advertising and turning off "Limit Ad Tracking" is because they are not collecting data on you??? Real 1984 'double-think' going on here... www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2018/09/07/a-load-of-apple-iphone-apps-are-covertly-selling-your-location/#79ba2e065832 guardianapp.com/ios-app-location-report-sep2018.html If you are thinking you are somehow more private or safer with Apple.. well, to each their own.

[@UndecidedMF]

There’s a huge difference between an app collecting data on you and Apple, Google, Facebook, or Amazon doing it themselves. The “limit ad tracking” isn’t any kind of gotcha here. Apple uses tracking to show you relevant ads in the App Store, Apple News, and stocks apps. Flip that toggle and that tracking stops. Again, it’s not that this type of tracking is bad (I’m making the trade myself as a Google user), but it’s how Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google use that data, protect that data, and how much of it can be tracked back directly to you. How much control do you have over your own data. It’s not an anti-Google or anti-Amazon statement ... just a fact. And something we all need to think about because we keep getting burned by companies playing too fast and loose with our data. Amazon/Ring employees spying on customer videos for instance. Not good.

[@phaZed9]

@@UndecidedMF Thanks for the reply. I don't want to start a flame war on such a subject, so please do take it as a wholesome disagreement :-) I believe that claiming Apple as some kind of privacy advocate is simply the echo-chamber of Apple's marketing department. While there are things to "like" about Apple's security and public stance on the issue... their actions and what actually bears out to be fact and not marketing/lies is what really matters. Nobody can really claim to know what Apple has because their OS is fully closed source, not the case with much of the others. Apple had the most insecure OS in OSX and iOS in 2015, but they said they had the best... in the face of overwhelming evidence. Is it the same story now, for privacy? freedomhacker.net/apple-os-x-rated-most-vulnerable-software-2015-4861/ I'm not claiming others are better, only that Apple lay in the same echelon of poor-privacy. The Safari Browser and other Apple-made and controlled apps have been the Achilles heal of Apple's privacy (by design?)... along with the blind-eye approach on their App store for the better part of a decade... eh, as long as the apps sell! WE KNOW Apple isn't secure and that all the major players are working for the NSA/CIA/FBI per the Snowden papers.. so we need to stop pretending this isn't the case... the SEP secure keys are hacked and there are at least two lighting cable decryption devices/services for sale to the "public". www.wired.com/story/apple-differential-privacy-shortcomings/ " a new study, which delves deeply into how Apple actually implements the technique, suggests the company has ratcheted that dial further toward aggressive data-mining than its public promises imply." "Apple oversells its differential privacy protections. "Apple’s privacy loss parameters exceed the levels typically considered acceptable by the differential privacy research community,".... ....."By taking apart Apple's software to determine the epsilon the company chose, the researchers found that MacOS uploads significantly more specific data than the typical differential privacy researcher might consider private. iOS 10 uploads even more. And perhaps most troubling, according to the study's authors, is that Apple keeps both its code and epsilon values secret, allowing the company to potentially change those critical variables and erode their privacy protections with little oversight." Lower Epsilon number is better. "Google's Epsilon is 4" "MacOS's implementation of differential privacy uses an epsilon of 6, while iOS 10 has an epsilon of 14" "researchers found that the beta version of iOS11 has an epsilon of 43" "[For Apple], After two days of uploads, the analysts would know about that medical condition with virtually 100 percent certainty. "Even after just one day, you’ve already blown this really strong security," McSherry says."

[@gbsworld]

HomePod is actually my all time favourite Apple product. I love the simplicity in design and they sound great.

[@nicholaswolle]

I won’t disagree, it’s an amazing product and I absolutely love using mine... but the Apple Watch and/or AirPods are also up in the running when it comes to favorite product for me.

[@markwilson2699]

Have two of them, bought early so lost out on the $100 drop on each, but still very happy with my purchases. Stereo sound is fantastic and the sound is rich in bass and clarity at any volume. Now at $250 (sale) they are now at a sweet spot for price vs. a quality Apple product. I bought for the sound, not Siri.

[@markwilson2699]

aotero u Yes, I just wanted something that sounded really good and I bought one after watching many positive KZbin videos on reviews of these Apple HomePods for ‘their sound quality’, and not how smart (or not) Siri is when incorporated within these speaker’s. I actually bought one and it sounded so good, I bought another even before they had the long awaited update for pairing them for stereo. I knew they were going to sound amazing once that took place, and I was right. Siri is smart enough to play the music I ask for without moving an inch, and with more updates, it will only get better. I think if they sell these at $250 going forward, they could really make a difference when people decide which brand to buy. Yes, I imagine audiophiles maybe picking up a set for a bedroom or kitchen and having their ultimate sound system in the living room or dedicated sound room.

[@markwilson2699]

Educated Melanin good point, yeh I figured those $250 HomePod prices were because of the past November Black Friday and Christmas holiday periods, but really if Apple wanted to sell millions of these, they would drop the price. Yet, they are supposedly making a cheaper smaller HomePod speaker that should be coming out this year which will probably cost $200-$250 to bring more into homes that way.

[@markwilson2699]

Educated Melanin Why? Expense or sound quality?

[@johnnysegura1357]

Found a barely used Homepod on CL for $200. Worth every penny. Sound is excellent. No need to install in wall speakers throughout the house and connect to an amp like in the past. Buy a few of these and place around the house and patio and your good to go. Simply excellent.

[@tallswag4u]

I’m an audio file and own very high end speakers and listen to “my bathroom” speaker doesn’t make me feel like I’m missing any sound quality. It’s a bookshelf speaker that truly has amazon sound and the mic’s are excellent as it hear you very, very well.

[@TheJester134]

Me too. I have a Sonos Play One in the bathroom for news and music while doing the morning ritual. It's fine for this, but I can't imagine using it for anything else. I'm a dyed in the wool Audiophile and have a lot of expensive gear. Matt nailed my demographic perfectly.

[@VincenzoSims]

I have a HomePod and love it so much. The sound is just incredible!

[@keco185]

Same! And the small size means I can bring it places

[@David-xt5ob]

I like the device but without the ability to stream from other music services its a non-starter for me. I switch between the streaming services to regularly to be locked into one service

[@UndecidedMF]

Yeah, that’s a big downside right now, but with Siri Shortcuts hopefully those services will start supporting it with their phone apps. If they do, then it might be an option again.

[@hape3862]

@@David-xt5ob What I don't understand is, are you married to Spotify? You can cancel and change these services at any time. Apple Music is cheaper and has more songs. So why is that a "no-starter"?

[@David-xt5ob]

I use all the services. I find Apple Music to have a bad recommendation engine with a heavy leaning towards hip-hop and r&b style music. While I enjoy that music I also enjoy a lot of other music which its poor at finding. In addition iTunes is an incredible bloated piece of software and the iPhone app is not great. So I wouldn't buy a $500 AUD speaker to be locked into what I consider to be one of the weaker streaming options

[@S7StudioElfPaladin]

i got stereo pair for my apple tv and one homepod in my office. I'm very pleased with my homepods despite the price. I also finished equiping my house with philips hue and other smart home devices. It all comes together with having Homepods and Sonos One's spread around the house to control stuff. I feel i belong to the target audience, but that target feels way too specific.

[@alliejr]

Damn, Matt, how do we get you from 11K to 111K and 1,111K subscribers? You 100% deserve to be at those levels. What can we do to help?

[@UndecidedMF]

Ha! I’m still dumbfounded that I’m at 11K right now and not at 1K. I really appreciate all of you guys ... just keep watching, commenting, and liking the videos! And tell your friends ;-).

[@andyxprophet]

Totally agree with the above. I'm a huge fan of your relaxing, informative approach to these topics. Not to mention, I feel like I can stay glued because I feel like you're talking directly to me in a lecture I actually chose and want to go to. So glad I stumbled across your channel. Keep it up!

[@UndecidedMF]

That’s awesome. Thanks so much for watching!

[@spark3395]

people always complain about the price, but considering it costs 216 to make, i think it needs to be minimum 300 for apple to cover marketing, r and d, updates, store space, and service (warranty and repairs).

[@UndecidedMF]

The R&D alone was over 5 years.

[@nicholaswolle]

I also bought my HomePod for $250 with the sale, and was using it for the audio comparison. It is very clearly which sounded better, especially for 360 degree sound. I love using my HomePod and it has even impressed friends that didn’t think it was worth it. Using it with Apple Music is easy, and as I grow my smart home, it’s nice to have a good sounding speaker that can also control those devices as well.

[@leo2o915]

Nicholas Wolle so it’s worth it ? Right now they have it for 280 at Best Buy

[@nicholaswolle]

Leo Contreras yes it’s totally worth it, just don’t pay over $300 for it.

[@BeesonsCars]

I just have a single HomePod but I love it. The audio quality is unmatched for it’s size. I couldn’t believe the lows that come out it. Around 50% volume is perfect. I keep it in my bedroom and love the way it sounds in that room. Though it doesn’t sound as good in my living room because of the much larger area and really tall ceilings. It’s still just as clear, just not a good bass. I plan on getting another to use in stereo mode in my room.

[@UndecidedMF]

In my home office (my “set”) I find the same thing. Around 40-50% volume sounds fantastic.

[@genelin888]

Thank you for the updated review. I bought 4 Homepods over the holidays at the discounted price of $250. They have exceeded my expectations in term of sound quality especially when pairing them. Will start looking into Homepod enabled products for my home.

[@eledersbest3478]

I have three of these and I love them. The sound is amazing!! I can tell one of them to play my favorite album everywhere at whatever volume level I want and they fill my entire house with sound. Even at 100 percent volume there is no distortion.

[@Yasharvl]

Watching this video months after the Homepod got discontinued, and I could admit that this is a honest video.

[@treyduval5399]

I think 250 is the true price they should be. At CES this year many more support HomeKit Devices were released and Siri is slowly getting better. I am going to buy a second for stereo sound to use with my Apple TV and listening to music.

[@tbechmannfrost]

Trey Duval how is this working for you? I am thinking about doing the same for our Apple TV

[@rognoncru]

I purchased a HomePod and the "wow" made me buy a second one. Even at regular price, I say go! The sound is awesome, Siri is getting much better and the HomeKit integration is practical and fun. I asked Siri if she has a sister but I think she’s jealous. Fix this apple please.

[@xdr1305]

I live in Chile, we can not buy the HomePod here, but I went to USA in 2018 and bought one! It is amazing! Now is part of our life, and also is helpful to improve our languages skills, because we are using Siri in English even when is most difficult to us, but anyway still works and Siri understand us, even when our pronunciation is not the best. I think this is another point of view of this lovely product.

[@UndecidedMF]

That’s awesome! And I’m impressed that you’re using it in English. I definitely would struggle horribly if I tried to use Siri in another language. Heck, I sometimes struggle with English! ;-)

[@JimzAuto]

Homepod 1 acquired April 2019. Sound: WOW. Homepoad 2 acquired May 2019. Incredible speakers, super easy setup & configuration. Hat-trick: easy RECONFIGURATION- easily move to/from rooms, pair/unpair stereo sets, etc. Technical design is a game-changer, these are 'anywhere everywhere' speakers that 'just so happen to be smart-speakers.' If these were 'only' wireless speakers they'd still be highly rated. RECOMMENDATION: if you have an iphone take one home for a test-drive for at least a couple days. Good listening to you :)

[@hape3862]

I have 2 HomePods in stereo mode. They sound easily better than most upper-middleclass hi-fi systems, but are portable and without any cable hassle. I love them. I listen only classical music and particularly baroque harpsichord music - every time I turn it on it's like a revelation. The best 700€ I've ever spent.

[@UndecidedMF]

Nice! I haven’t tried out classical yet (gonna give that a shot now).

[@hape3862]

@@UndecidedMF BTW: Funniest single HomePod review on the internet: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lX3daJeum7OLgpo Funniest stereo HomePod review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5fXmp9qed6qptk

[@MSH3423]

Did you own proper amp and speakers that cost around that price point before?

[@robbymccloskey]

Total success!!!! I have two of them, paired, and I love them!!!!

[@davidking1674]

Me Too...

[@jean-pierrepoirier5635]

Same here. Simply the best speakers for the price.

[@davidalan2469]

Best Buy was selling them at 250 so I have 4 now. Paired in 2 sets.

[@UndecidedMF]

Just bought a second one for myself (refurbished). Just waiting for delivery.

[@JohnSmith-fk7cq]

Also got one at $250 And was impressed enough to go out at that price and grabbed another one and have them paired. They sound great in a room about 15’x15’ room aprox

[@sillyrabbit77]

i picked up two of craigslist for $400. That was a price range I was comfortable with and the speakers sound great.

[@station2station544]

Spot on video....I bought a HomePod as an experiment and put it in the kitchen. 6 months later I bought 3 more for master bathroom, office, daughters bedroom. LOVE them. My iMac pushes iTunes/Apple Music out to the house. Siri is ok. It works to verbally add appts, reminders, check weather, a few Siri shortcuts...all I need. I won't use the Alexa ecosystem due to privacy. There are minor hiccups in Airplay connectivity. If my Mac has been asleep for the evening and I decide to play music in the AM, sometimes there is an error dialogue stating that it couldn't connect to 1 or 2 of the HomePods. And my home network is a blue flame blowtorch of Ubiquiti Mesh saturation. A simple restart of iTunes corrects the connectivity issue most of the time..

[@UndecidedMF]

I just added a second Homepod for stereo and have noticed one small connection issue myself with it losing stereo playback. It’s only happened once, so I’m not sure how to replicate it. In the middle of a song it just stopped coming out of one speaker. Stopping playback and disconnecting/reconnecting the Airplay stream made everything work again. Ever experienced anything like that? A stream just dropping out during playback?

[@station2station544]

@@UndecidedMF I have noticed dropouts periodically. Maybe one every other day for 2-3 seconds through once device. It self repairs. I don't have a stereo pair in any rooms. The most annoying thing for me is the occasions when the music through 2 devices gets out of sync by a millisecond. Have you had that? It will be streaming in 2 separate rooms and If you stand in the hallway you can tell they are out of sync, subtly. It usually occurs after pausing the music or advancing a song or something where you interfered with the stream in some fashion.

[@UndecidedMF]

Yes, I have experienced that too across all of my Airplay speakers (Sonos, Denon Receiver, HomePod, Apple TVs), not just the Homepod specifically. It typically happens if I’m scrubbing through audio or skipping songs rapidly. I’m planning on filing a Radar with Apple on the issue.

[@station2station544]

@@UndecidedMF One other oddity I experience with airplay devices, Sometimes Im streaming to 3 of them, and if I decide to bring the 4th, maybe in the upstairs bathroom, my volumes all lower. Even though the 4th device volume is set fairly normal. Then if I uncheck them all, then add them back in it corrects. Just weird volume stuff.

[@UndecidedMF]

That’s a new one. I haven’t experienced that one myself (yet).

[@somemovingpictures]

Of all the smart speakers on the market, the Echo Dot and Show are by far the best. Both "know" they are not good speakers and provide a 3.5mm jack that opens up a whole new world of possibilities. I have connected a dot to an older NAD 3130 integrated amp, and some brand new ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 speakers purchased on sale for $149.00/pair. The same combination is also connected to my computer via USB to a Schiit Audio Modi 3 DAC purchased for $99.00. Much better sound, multiple inputs and a smart component via Alexa for less money than attempting stereo by purchasing Home Pods. Yes, I cheated and used an older integrated amp, but it's possible to purchase a new NAD c 316bee for less than $400 and still say close to if not under the price of dual Home Pods.

[@UndecidedMF]

That’s what I was getting at in my review ... that a custom built setup can absolutely beat the HomePod, but for an all in one device that does it all ... it’s pretty damn impressive. I also have an Echo Dot plugged into a nice set of Audio Engine speakers/sub in my office (sounds damn good), but it’s a setup that requires a lot of wires, plugs, etc. I’m fine with that, but don’t think that’s average consumer behavior.

[@mikezmac]

I passed the homepod by until this Christmas. Now that I can make a still pair and they were on sale for $250 I bought 2. I am VERY happy with the sound quality and use the hompods for my audio out on apple TV. I also have all hue lighting in my house and Siri is faster than Alexa and Google home hands down for light control.

[@UndecidedMF]

Yeah, it’s definitely faster, which isn’t something that gets talked about very often.

[@scottekoontz]

Great sound, and I just bought another one. A few months ago a friend took down his expensive speakers and replaced them with two home pods. He kept bugging me to get a second one, and said I would not regret it. Love them. Great sound, low footprint.

[@UndecidedMF]

The stereo pair really does sound phenomenal, doesn’t it? I was listening to mine most of the day today as I worked. Still blown away by them.

[@coralreef909]

Leo Laporte on Mac break weekly desecrated the HomePod on his show comparing it to sonos 4 ,the google home max and other rival company smart speakers. he went out of his way to find fault with Apple’s brilliant sounding speaker and claimed that there were speakers that sounded better. I bought a HomePod and absolutely love it.

[@richardmeredith69]

My wife had no idea what it was tell I bought one, and now she loves it !

[@lawrence5371]

Pairing with Apple TV, that changes everything for me.

[@zustiizth]

HomePod is cool... looking for loose cash to buy a second one to experience stereo. It’s a beast for it size when it come to sound. Clean sound.

[@UndecidedMF]

Same here ... loose cash and a good deal.

[@jonoray33]

One rule that I've learned about Product Reviews is that you can't quote Special Sale prices as they change over time and tend to be different around the world if they have sales. (eg. Best Buy has a sale, but a UK retailer can not match a similar price). So you have to compare by the RRP. Sale price of the Apple Home Pod is still overpriced. Yes Best Buy's $250 price for the Apple Home Pod was good (at the time). But this video is already out-dated as Best Buy finished the sale and returned to regular pricing. It's back at $350. Cardinal rule of Tech reviews. Otherwise a good look through and comparison of the HomePod vs the Competition.

[@chengchenghuang5902]

HIGH QUALITY Vid! Subscribed!

[@UndecidedMF]

Thanks!

[@Littleguyadventures]

I scored two this holiday season. And really like the stereo sounds. Thanks for the review and information.

[@UndecidedMF]

How much did they run you? Get any deals?

[@sstewart03]

Are you kidding. A work of art. True greatness.

[@frankbecker9880]

Having Sonos (play 1 and 5, no sub) and HomePod I 100 % agree with the video. Thanks! Most important thing for me is audio quality. The HomePod sounds notably better. For smart stuff I don’t care so much. However, I couldn’t figure out how to play radio stations on the bare HomePod without an iPhone streaming to it. Hope someone at Apple finds out how to implement that soon as well as supporting other music streaming services.

[@UndecidedMF]

Thanks for watching! I think Siri Shortcuts is the beginning of getting things like radio stations, etc. working on it. I’m hoping/expecting to see a lot of Siri improvements over the next year or two.

[@frankbecker9880]

Sure, a couple of radio streaming apps provide shortcuts that work well on HomePod. Issue is that those shortcuts actually run the app on your iPhone/iPad streaming to the HomePod. When you leave the house taking your iPhone the shortcut doesn't work anymore. At least that is my experience. My family complained. In contrast, the Sonos One or Play:1/Alexa combo streams directly to to the speaker.

[@UndecidedMF]

Yeah, I hope Apple updates the HomePod to work better with multiple users and devices. Right now it will only stream from the device that was used to set it up. For me, I have an iPad that never leaves the house, so setting up the HomePod with that pretty much ensures that all the functionality is there even if I’m not home. Ideally, more would be processed directly on the HomePod, or you’d be able to have a family group of devices that could all work seamlessly with it. How cool would it be if the HomePod recognized each family member’s voice, and would stream directly from their device instead of yours?

[@cmoxie]

LOVE my HomePOd. I had it less than a week and bought another one. Plan on getting [2] more. Great review. No - it’s not for everyone, but for those of us who are bass sensitive and above average music quality listeners (but not true audiophiles), this speaker rocks.

[@UndecidedMF]

Nice! It didn’t take me long to add a second one either. I use them almost every single day and absolutely love ‘em. Thanks for watching!

[@rehafer]

I’ve been a Home Automation hobbyist since the 80s. I have setup both HomeKit and Alexa as front ends for my system. The HomePod + HomeKit system is clearly superior the Amazon system. Sometime after I put a HomePod in my bedroom, the battery in the wall mounted Insteon died and I just recently noticed. HomeKit + HomePod + Shortcuts is a real power house, especially since the 12.1.3 update.

[@UndecidedMF]

Shortcuts really is a game changer.

[@MarceloGarcia9]

This was the best, most critical yet fair assessment of the HomePod. It’s criminal you don’t have more subscribers and Ryan’s Toy Review makes $22 million. Gained one more sub from me 👍🏼

[@Lil_Mikey01]

I just purchased a HomePod, they were on sale for $199 at Best Buy, after updating it to iOS 13.3, I have to say that this was one solid investment. I couldn’t be more pleased with the sound reproduction and the smart features that have been implemented since its inaugural release. I will be purchasing a second HomePod for stereo playback soon.

[@morganflanary1041]

Thanks you for providing exactly what I was looking for. I’m 32 years old and you’re the first person on KZbin I’ve ever subscribed to! Your presentation was smooth, well thought out easy to follow and even funny at times! Keep up the great work! 👌🏻 Additionally please give us a call at Apple technical support and maybe we can use our tools to diagnose the inconsistency on your controls between your phone! Thank you again! New Subscriber!

[@UndecidedMF]

Appreciate it!

[@Daltondoubledeuce]

I love the music in your review.

[@AllenBH]

I have two homepod and that sound grated

[@lefauxpas]

I asked for and got one for Christmas (purchased for $250 from BB). I Iiked to so much I bought another right away (again for $250 from BB). The original one is in the Bedroom (my original intention was to just get the one for the bedroom). The other is in my living room. Even though I have a full home theatre system (Paradigm with HSU sub FWIW) I like having the HP by my chair for casual listening/late night etc. BTW I tried them out as a stereo pair after I got them and thought they sounded great and would work well as a "main" system for a lot of folks. The sound they put is amazing, especially the bass from such a small footprint. Friends are amazed when they come over. The one in the living room is sitting on top of my HSU subwoofer and they think it is on when I play the HP! Of course, it doesn't have the extra deep response of a real sub, but through psychoacoustics and sound analysis, it certainly gives a close effect.

[@UndecidedMF]

That’s a really good set of gear for your home theater setup. And I completely agree on your point that while it’s not as deep a response as a real sub, Apple is doing some exceptional sound shaping to give the illusion of a deep low end. It’s pretty remarkable. I still think the $250 price point is the sweet spot for the speaker. Glad to see that Apple officially dropped the price by $50 now (to $300), so it’s not too far off now.

[@Photojouralist123]

I just got mine yesterday and I'm blown away! I love it plain and simple.

[@UndecidedMF]

I just added a second one for a stereo pair (picked up a refurbished one for $230) ... even better.

[@michaelwright1602]

I have family with one, she loves it, it sits up high away from the kids... The Siri function is what she says she likes the best, no remote required, and the sound is loud enough to fill her main room. Me, I'm not interested, but can definitely see where it is a good pick for some folks.

[@UndecidedMF]

Definitely not for everyone, but it’s exceptional if it’s the type of device you’re looking for.

[@MillionaireMalc]

Damn, this is a top notch video production and content wise. Good job, Matt.

[@UndecidedMF]

Thanks!

[@thenhobes]

Have 2, love em!

[@victorkuria8068]

Almost got cold feet buying mine last year in October from the Apple store as a birthday gift for myself. I had seen most of the reviews in comparison to Google and Amazon products and most seemed to favour either one of the latter mostly due to the price. It didn't help that Best Buy was right across the street with all the brand options available!!! But I have other Apple products and had enjoyed each and everyone of them, some which have been around since 2011 like my MacBook Pro without any major hitches. Eventually the Sales guy at Apple won me over cause he didn't try and crowd me with a sales pitch and gave me room to make my own mind up and when he found me a single homepod player as opposed to a pair playing (which is what I listened to at first and almost wasn't quite convinced), I was sold from the first few notes that came out of it. Thank you for your great review. Never tried the others (Google's or Amazon's) but what you said about the Homepod's sound..is what won me over and am glad I bought it.

[@UndecidedMF]

It really is a case of hearing is believing, isn’t it? It’s still obviously a limited product since you have to be in the Apple ecosystem (Windows and Android users need not apply), but it’s a phenomenal speaker with smarts that are getting better as time goes on.

[@victorkuria8068]

Could not agree more..Siri keeps cracking me up with what "she" know's or doesn't... like the other day using Siri I was able to find my phone within the apartment..when I thought to ask if it could find it....and it did...by it making my phone emit an audible repetitive beep...but it could not do the same with my 2011 MacBook...yet I can receive phone calls on my MacBook from my phone...but the fact that it could...where nowhere I have read says it can...is as you said smarts!! @@UndecidedMF

[@JJohnson313]

People who don't own the product have the most to say about it. I love it and will be adding a second soon.

[@brad349miller]

J Johnson because we’re smart enough not to hang out in a burning building.

[@JJohnson313]

Toasty Volvo But have no experience with burning houses but speak about them as if they are experts.

[@Newa113]

I really like my homepod, I use it everyday.

[@RoadGlideAustralia]

Great review. Subscribed 👍🏻

[@MarkMphonoman]

Excellent analysis. Thanks. Mark 👍

[@davesquid]

I am not a true audiophile but am very much bought into the apple Ecosphere. I was provided a demo at an Apple store itself where I think it may have been a Sonos v HomePod comparison. Despite the higher price I recognised the benefit of the integration for what just needed to be a great speaker system in the small study I have that is hooked up to my MacBook Pro, Sony Bravia TV and apple TV. I must agree the sound is excellent and the voice activation linked to my library(I use iTunes Match rather than Apple Music ) as a more cost effective way to access all my music effortlessly.

[@UndecidedMF]

That’s a really good call out. ITunes Match and the Homepod are a great combo ... even without the Apple Music subscription.

[@Jsarson1976]

I love I tunes match

[@jonathanc2757]

No complaints for mine - sound is amazing and does everything i need to happen, + Apple is adding new functionality

[@steveplain635]

I understand this video was shot in January of 2019 but I just wanted to let everyone know that I just bought 2 HomePods from OWC on December 27th 2019 at $186 a piece. So you can find some deals out there. Mine won't be here till Monday the 30th so I can't tell you how great they sound...And Matt Ferrell, Thanks for the great review !!

[@richardshipp6996]

I had one for about six months and got rid of it. It sounded great, but if I am going to automate my home, i am not spending $350 for multiple Home Pods when I can just buy a $30 Echo Dot and place in each room. I am not looking for high quality sound. But the $250 price is great. Apple needs to come out with smaller satellite pods that work in conjunction with the larger pod. Then I'm in!

[@UndecidedMF]

Couldn’t agree more. I love mine (got a second one for stereo) for listening to music and home automation in the room they’re in, but there’s no way I’m going to buy one or two for each room in the house. There really should be a HomePod Mini.

[@mortonkelsey7125]

I enjoy your straight forward style. Great reviews. Thank you

[@UndecidedMF]

Thanks! Appreciate it.

[@AdamGobin]

This is such a great review with some much detail. Really great job!

[@UndecidedMF]

Thanks so much!

[@paulkieffer1189]

the music can play direct from the homepod and it can be played from the iphone also. it’s confusing because sometimes you don’t know if it’s coming from the iphone through airplay or from homepod directly through the apple music internet. odd. apple needs to figure out the dilemma.

[@UndecidedMF]

Agreed. And I’d like multi-user or multi-device support too.

[@jasonwiltjer9]

I loved the sound of the homepod, but then I got the echo studio and... I sold the homepod not long after. So much better sound and functionality.

[@LooseWheelNutPod]

I love my HomePod. I’d buy another one if I was home a bit more. Great sound and I’m actually impressed with Siri she does exactly what I need her to do.

[@danielvansid8930]

Thanks, man. You just post it right on time. I stuck deciding what to buy 1. Sonos One and Beam(tv) or 2. Homepod and beam(tv). Now I'm definitely going with 2nd option as it can be paired together anyway and give me control of my Homekit devices.

[@UndecidedMF]

Going that route opens up a lot of possibilities. Glad you found it useful! Keep an eye out for the video I have coming out today where I compare Siri, Alexa, and Google.

[@colosseum555]

Excellent review and great content. Keep up the great work. It’s appreciated.

[@UndecidedMF]

Thanks so much!

[@barberchannel]

We purchased our Homepod soon after its release. All of your points are in accord with our experiences over the past months. Yes...the price needs to come down a bit..and being a subscriber to Apple Music is a critical factor. We look forward to continuing improvements in Siri. Thank you for this objective and well produced review.

[@UndecidedMF]

Thanks! Glad you liked it.

[@opensourceguy730]

I love my HomePod, but I think the $250 is just the right price point when you consider the features. Like the Apple Watch, the future software updates will greatly enhance the customer experience. I bought a HomePod in lieu of a sound bar. However, my Apple TV can’t set the HomePod as its default output, so I have to set the output each time I use it. That’s about my only complaint.

[@UndecidedMF]

Yeah, even though you can pair it out an Apple TV, it’s not built for that ... yet. That might be able to be updated in a software update, but who knows if they’ll prioritize that.

[@nme6725]

The Gotdamn thing is awesome I get it now. It’s not a Bluetooth speaker and I realize that and I love this thing works great at home for its intended use. Also Best Buy has them forever for 249.99 so I got two which was lovely and worth it all day in my book

[@UndecidedMF]

At $250 it’s a steal.

[@paulasparks3402]

Got mine for Christmas and truly love it!

[@keco185]

I like good audio but want a networked setup that doesn’t require the setup time a high end system comes with.

[@UndecidedMF]

Good point. I hadn’t thought of that angle.

[@antoinep9733]

keco185 Two Sonos Play:5s paired in stereo sounds pretty good ☑️

[@phillipjames453]

Please do a video on playing the homepod without wifi. Thank You!

[@scottfox6271]

I want two of them, but they are not available in Italy. -(

[@BearsIn3D]

I bought 3 HomePods to replace a basic amazon echo setup (1 echo plus and 2 echo dots) and was pretty happy with the sound quality and the design of the HomePod however, I can’t stand Siri! Alexa was so much faster with responses and could respond to way more requests. Half the time I would tell Siri to turn lights on and she would pause for awhile and say “just a second” (lol) Alexa never had this issue. Also the compatibility just isn’t there for the HomePod and for the price ($350 each) it just was not worth the money just for playing music, maybe for some people it is but for me it just wasn’t. The specific compatibility I’m referring to is really with our 3 nest cameras, thermostat, security hub and smoke/CO sensors, Siri didn’t work with any of it. I ended up returning all 3 homepods and bought 2 of the new Sonos beam soundbars that have Alexa built in and a Sonos one for our bathroom and honestly have never been happier! I did like the HomePod but I’ll wait a couple years for HomePod 2 and a much better lineup of smart home support (hopefully).

[@robertphillips4155]

Nicely done. I got a HomePod when it first came out and I felt he sound was Meeee. I took it back. I like Apple products as a whole. With Amazon’s Prime day just happening I thought that I’d get and Echo and start building a smart house. I reconsidered after thinking about all of the privacy and security breaches. Now I’m reconsidering the HomePod as a hub to do my smart house. Especially with Apples announcement about networking and HomeKit expansion. Do you have any thoughts on that? Thanks

[@UndecidedMF]

Thanks for watching! And I definitely have a lot of thoughts about that ;-). Apple is setting themselves up into a fantastic position with the Homepod and iOS 13. The fact that they’re finally tying HomeKit and Shortscuts together in a meaningful way is going to open up a ton of customization options. And I’m excited to see how the Homepod ties into all of this with the changes coming for that too. I’ve been testing out the iOS 13 beta, but none of the updated Homepod functionality has been available yet. As of right now, I’m excited at the possibilities ... but I’ll have to wait for the final (or near final) versions before making any real judgement. I’m just as excited for things like the Homekit Secure Video and router features. If you still haven’t jumped into Alexa, or anything really, I’d hold off for a little bit longer. We’ll know a lot more in the early fall.

[@robertphillips4155]

@Undecided with Matt Ferrell, great thoughts, thank you

[@JustJoeThoughts]

The first time I was introduce to the homepod was at my brothers home. He was operating his lights and television and I fell in love with the sound. Nothing sounds better. I almost bought one today but that $350 price scared me away. If it was $250 i would be unboxing it right now.

[@UndecidedMF]

I really hope Apple drops the price sometime this year.

[@rognoncru]

The technology they put in it justifies the price. For the same listening enjoyment, you would pay more for higher end brands.

[@Somemjf]

What do you think now Dec 2019 Best Buy has them for $200. Thinking about picking up two do these to replace my 10 year old Bose 321. What do you think? Is this an upgrade?

[@suly3243]

for the most part I've been using the Homepod for music and it was my main purpose of purchase and I love it. Also, I prefer airplay over Bluetooth that I used to use because the video or audio I play on my iPhone doesn't interrupt the music playing. it is especially important to me when there are others listening to music and I don't want to interrupt it to play a video or audio etc.

[@UndecidedMF]

I also prefer Airplay over Bluetooth. It’s simpler to connect and disconnect, and now with Airplay 2 you can connect to multiple speakers at once.

[@promenteryrobbins]

I’m normally a ‘first adopter’ when it comes to Apple products, but held off until Nov ‘18 before buying my HomePod. Wish I’d bought it earlier - sound alone justifies the cost, and Siri isn’t as bad as all that. I’d buy it again..

[@misteratwood]

Great review - thanks for the help!

[@stupidityonlegs]

Do you think it would be worth holding out for the second generation? I can pick up the Homepod for around €280-300, but I'm curious as to whether it's going to be a two year refresh instead of one.

[@UndecidedMF]

If you can pick one up for 50-100 below list price, I think it’s worth it. There are rumors swirling around about a HomePod 2, but I haven’t seen anything that looks super credible yet. My hunch is that we may see another, cheaper, smaller Homepod this year that is sold alongside the current one (the bigger, slightly more expensive brother). I don’t see the current version going away or really changing price too much.

[@spark3395]

@@UndecidedMF yeah, the current one is perfect outside of what can be fixed VIA software. they just need to try and get the price down. i think 300 would be ideal considering the manufacturing cost.

[@dannymcneal]

Yours is probably the best HomePod review out there. Your observations are spot on. I have one HomePod, but am intrigued by true stereo capability. Perhaps if/when they go on sale for $250, I might bite.

[@UndecidedMF]

That’s what I’m waiting on right now ... looking for a good deal to pull the trigger on a second one.

[@hape3862]

@@UndecidedMF You both won't regret buying a second one. Two in stereo mode are three times(!) better than one alone.

[@geekmeee]

I have to chime in on buying a second one, after owning my first one for six months. I definitely noticed the difference at first listen, and I was fully expecting ‘buyer’s remorse’ or just more of the same. But it definitely sounded fuller, richer and more expansive. If I were to describe before and after, I don’t know that I would describe it as “three times better”...but I definitely wouldn’t argue with it!!

[@delwell25]

I have had a great experience with the Homepod. Bought 4 of them, and they are currently streaming Airplay throughout my house flawlessly. The only issue is my network, which causes some latency (drop out vs. lag - they are all always in sync!). I actually bought them as streaming Airplay speakers to create a sound environment throughout my house, and they exceeded my expectations. I consider Siri to be a bonus feature, and did not expect much out of it, so I was not disappointed. Have successfully hooked up a power switch and some Eve environmental monitors very easily using the Eve app, whose easy integration with Apple Home bordered on magical. Yes, you heard me, I said magical. And remember, the Homepod is just a piece of hardware - the software can easily be upgraded and Siri made much smarter and more capable. The future is bright for this excellent product, and only competition from two major players like Amazon and Google has kept the Homepod from achieving the level of success it deserves.

[@UndecidedMF]

You hit the nail on the head with the software angle. The hardware is amazing and the software is continuing to get better. So much potential to an already great product.

[@Justin-qz9rs]

Apple TV + Stereo HomePods for the bedroom has been a great experience for me.

[@UndecidedMF]

Nice! How well do they stay connected to the Apple TV for you?

[@Justin-qz9rs]

Flawless, great alarm clock too, wish apple tv locked connection with tv though. Annoying trying to set airplay from some apps

[@UndecidedMF]

Good to know. I’ve been meaning to experiment with that.

[@Justin-qz9rs]

It stays connected until I take over airplay with my phone. The way to do it probably is to airplay to apple tv once apple tv is air playing to HomePods. Needs to be more automatic so no matter what if you play something on Apple TV it takes over HomePods. But generally great if you don't have a cable box. Wondering if Sonos new amp can be used to take all tv sources audio and pop it to HomePods... Would be nice to get xbox on the pods

[@constantine412]

This is a superb review

[@jkmsaturn]

I also bought into the HomePod from Best Buy @ the reduced price, that lasted for several weeks, during the Holiday Season. Apple may have been 'testing the waters' for a looming price drop. However, I'm beginning to think they may actually drop the price to $299, possibly during the March 2019 introduction of the iPad 10" & iPad Mini 5. Great video update!

[@UndecidedMF]

Thanks! And yeah, I really hope they drop the price of the HomePod permanently to something like $299. It would be a huge step in the right direction.

[@busterlynch5278]

A great video, very informative. I am thinking of buying a Homepod and this has made that decision a lot easier, thanks.

[@norman-king]

Good video, but it might need updating as the HomePod’s got even better since you filmed it. Despite all the negative reviews I bought my first HomePod in Oct19, just as iOS 13.2.1 became available, and I was so impressed with it I immediately bought another (a third will be along soon). Audio quality is brilliant (expected), but the other features like multi-user support, Tunein radio and handoff (brilliant) have totally transformed it from the product the early reviews hit on so badly. Its new lower price is bang-on and if only Apple would add support for other music services then I think it will become the smart speaker of choice for most Apple users.

[@UndecidedMF]

You’re absolutely right. It has a bunch of new features that are worthy of a revisit.

[@Marek43]

Got one recently on Christmas. Im enjoying it a lot and compared to other smart speakers, I don't really miss something in the day to day use. Im just happy to look at it and listen at it. There is just one thing im missing and where my day to day use reminds me every time: It's a cheaper, smaller version for the Bathroom. Man im so tired to pair my phone every morning to the Bluetooth box and than couldn't even skip a song, because Siri can't hear me under the shower

[@UndecidedMF]

I didn’t comment on that in my video, but it does look fantastic. And I’m in the same exact boat with a tiny speaker for the bathroom.

[@aussie2uGA]

Nice review! Given just how good the Tesla Model 3 sound is though, how would the Homepod compare to it?

[@UndecidedMF]

Thanks! Not sure I’d compare a single HomePod to the M3, but the HomePod has excellent definition like the M3. And the way it directs sound around a room without a sweet spot is similar to the M3’s immersive audio setting.

[@EssGeeSee]

I took an HomePod, for testing, with the intention of returning (which I did). It is just too expensive. It sounds pretty close to amazing though. I use a Dolby Atmos system as my audio player and the HomePod is very close to it ‘sound wise’ and more compact. I was impressed when it happily handled very large lossless files. In our home we have 6 Echo’s and everybody now uses Alexa constantly. No one likes Siri. Don’t like her ‘attitude’ compared to Alexa. Plus we don’t like a two word summon. Why “Hey Siri”? Why not just “Siri”? As a long time Apple user I would love to have multiple HomePod but can’t see it any time soon.

[@UndecidedMF]

Fair points across the board. Siri really has an uphill battle ahead of her. She’s getting better, but a lot of people have written her off ... and yeah ... I don’t like her cracking jokes when she screws up. It’s like pouring salt in a wound.

[@jimspurer5884]

HomePod’s are Great. Run as background speakers for my Apple TV. Siri on Pods used to rum my Homekit. Change Stereo to match were I am in the room... I could go on

[@AdamRebel]

I love the HomePod. i have 6 in my home throughout different rooms.

[@UndecidedMF]

I’m a little jealous.

[@sarahaubrey8096]

Is it still worth buying the Homepod in 2020? We only have Apple products in the house and subscribe to Apple Music. The quality of music is important but I've noticed in a lot of the other reviews I've watched that people play a lot of Hip Hop, which is never listened to in our house. We listen to a lot of 80s music and folk pop, jazz etc. I'm wondering if the heavier bass and muddier vocals might not be right for us? Maybe a Sonos One would be better? They're priced the same in Australia at $300.

[@grahamscoffield4283]

I’ve just bought my second HomePod to create a stereo pair and the sound is amazing. I agree that at full price they are just a bit overpriced, even taking the quality into account. But with a special pay monthly deal through my employers I just couldn’t resist!

[@HeathNielsen]

It’s awesome when controlling video with Apple TV. You can ask Siri to skip or rewind whatever amount of time you want!!! Pause without a remote.

[@entertainment72]

Pulled the trigger at $250, it has since dropped from $349 to $299. Also, they regularly go on sale at stores such as Best Buy.

[@UndecidedMF]

Bargains do crop up from time to time at Beat Buy still. Also, if you don’t mind refurbished, you can pick them up for a nice discount from Apple itself. Macsales also tends to have them for $250: eshop.macsales.com/item/Apple/MQHW2LLA/.

[@47crazed]

They need to advertise it more! The sound quality is great, it smart enough to do a lot of task such as controlling my lights.

[@Zinqzz]

Thanks for the video I was deciding to get one and now I’m gonna buy one

[@UndecidedMF]

Nice! Drop back in and let me know what you think.

[@cmooreHD]

I live in Toronto (Canada) and our prices are $100 more over here (so $450) and for the longest time I wanted the HomePod when it was released. I didn’t purchase it because price and saved up and bought a Bose speaker instead. It was horrible with Apple Music and only forced me to connect to their stations. So I returned it and just got a HomePod. I wanted to test it out and return it but... I bit the apple and it’s probably one of the best purchases I made in 2018 hands down. Purchased this in November. Not sure if our Best Buy had the same sale ... (Sad I missed it if I did because that’s where I had bought mine as well) but I WILL without a doubt be needing a second of for that full experience you and everyone else is saying. I just need to find a much cheaper one or when the price drops... but I want one now. Thank you for the video. So many videos on KZbin are negative and don’t even give the HomePod another change at all even AFTER all the amazing updates he had last year since the release.

[@UndecidedMF]

Thanks for watching! That’s part of why I made the video. I wasn’t seeing anyone revisit it after all the Siri updates and sales that were going on. Glad you liked it. I’ve been shopping around for a used HomePod because that’s the easiest way to save $100 or more.

[@cmooreHD]

Undecided with Matt Ferrell thank you! Also. If you do end up getting another speaker would you do a Stereo pair video review as a mini update on how you feel? I’d love to hear your opinion. I’m definitely going to get one regardless myself though.

[@UndecidedMF]

You can count on it ... just need to find a good deal.