The HomePod Smart device shines as a high-quality smart speaker for listening to Apple Music. However you can trails behind Amazon and Google when it comes to voice control.
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Pros and Cons of Apple Homepod
It is very common ta have some pros and cons of any products. So, it is impossible that a product won’t have it. In this particular product, the Apple HomePod, here are some specific pros and cons that you would like to consider.
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Apple Homepod Specs
| Channels | Mono |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| Multi-Room | Yes |
| Physical Connections | None |
| Portable | No |
| Water-Resistant | No |
| Speakerphone | Yes |
| Voice Assistant | Apple Siri |
Audio Technology
- High-excursion woofer with custom amplifier.
- Array of seven horn-loaded tweeters, each with its own custom amplifier.
- Six-microphone array for far-field Siri.
- Internal low-frequency calibration microphone for automatic bass correction.
- Direct and ambient audio beamforming.
- Transparent studio-level dynamic processing.
- Stereo pair capable.
Audio Sources
- Apple Music.
- iTunes music purchases.
- iCloud Music Library with an Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription.
- Beats 1 live radio.
- Beats 1 live episodes on demand.
- Apple Podcasts.
- AirPlay other content to HomePod from iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, or Mac.
Touch Surface
- Tap or hold + or – for volume up/down
- Touch and hold for Siri
- Tap to play/pause music or Siri
- Double-tap to skip
- Triple-tap to skip back
Wireless
- 802.11ac Wi-Fi with MIMO.
- Direct guest access3.
- Bluetooth 5.0.
- Multiroom speaker support with AirPlay 24.
Electrical and Environmental Requirements
- Built-in power supply.
- Line voltage: 100V to 240V AC.
- Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz.
- Operating temperature: 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C).
- Storage temperature: –4° to 113° F (–20° to 45° C).
- Relative humidity: 5% to 90% noncondensing.
- Operating altitude: tested up to 10,000 feet (3000 m).
- Maximum storage altitude: 15,000 feet (4500 m).
- Maximum shipping altitude: 35,000 feet (10,500 m).
HomePod mini vs Amazon Echo Dot: Let’s Compare
You might buy a smart speaker for many reasons. For instance, you may want to listen to music or podcasts, control smart home devices, or ask a voice assistant to play the news or weather report. Both of these smart speakers can help with that, but what else is there on offer? Let’s take a look at some key similarities and differences.
| HomePod | Echo Dot | |
| Price | $99 | $50 |
| Voice Assistant | Siri | Alexa |
| Color choice | Space gray or white | Charcol, Glazier white, or Twilight blue |
| Size | 3.3-by-3.9-inches | 3.5-by-3.9-inches |
| Weight | 12.16 oz | 12.00 oz |
| Speaker Technology | Full-range driver and dual passive radiators | 1.6-inch front-firing speaker |
| Airplay 2 | Yes | No |
| Ultra-Wideband | Yes | No |
| Thread | Yes | No |
| Intercom | Yes | Yes |
| Audio out | No | Yes |
| HomeKit | Yes | No |
| Smart home hub | Yes | Yes |
| Touch controls | Yes | Yes |
| Services | Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, iCloud Music Library, iHeartRadio, iTunes, TuneIn, Pandora. | Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, Audacy, Sirius XM, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and more |
The Echo Dot and the HomePod have very identical visual designs. They are both ball-shaped Smart speakers. In addition, their weigh virtually the same. The HomePod is 0.2 inches smaller than the Echo Dot, but they both have the same 3.9-inch width. As far as color choices go, the HomePod.The Echo Dot and the HomePod were never meant to be competitors, but they will inevitably be compared to each other.
The HomePod mini has more networking features than the Echo Dot. The HomePod mini integrates directly with HomeKit accessories, and it is compatible with Thread and Ultra-Wideband. Both are smart hubs, but the HomePod mini has an audio out jack so that you can use it with external speakers. However, there is no way to output audio if the Apple HomePod mini is a smaller version of the HomePod.