‘HomePod’ Is Apple’s Unimaginative Answer To Google Home And Amazon Echo

Apple’s products tend to follow a specific routine when it comes to naming. There’s the iPod, iPad, iPhone, and iMac. Now, the company is introducing the HomePod, a smart speaker that is meant to be Apple’s answer to Google Home and Amazon Echo. Then again, if it gets the job done, what does it matter what they name it?

The new product was unveiled during the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference, where the company showcased some of the capabilities of the smart assistant, Mac World reports. Based on what has been revealed so far, the HomePod is Internet of Things-ready, which can have numerous implications by its very nature. On that note, the biggest difference between Apple’s products and that of its competitors’ is the price.

Phil Schiller, senior VP of marketing at Apple had the job of explaining what the new product is meant to do. Throughout the presentation, he boasted about the new gadget’s sensors, its connection to Apple Music, and the speaker’s superior quality.

Considering that the expected price of the speaker is going to be $349, it would only be natural to expect that Apple should deliver on these fronts. Looking at the features on paper, it’s a bit difficult to actually see if this is the case.

For the most part, it seems the processor of the HomePod will be the same as that found in iPhones. Specifically, this would be the A8 fusion processing chip. It also responds to the iconic “Hey Siri” activation command phrase. It even comes with Apple’s communications encryption technology, which is frankly reassuring.

However, where the HomePod can really and needs to shine is the audio quality, CNET reports. As of now, neither the Echo nor the Google Home speakers can be considered top notch in terms of the quality of the sound they produce. If Apple hits a home run with its own offering, it could start taking away the throne from Amazon.