5 Signs a HomePod Should Be Your Next Purchase!
Credit: Tech Advisor
Now that the HomePod has existed in the Apple ecosystem for a while, you may be wondering if it's time to save up for one (or ask for a HomePod as a holiday gift to help you save $350).
Either way, you probably already know that HomePod reviews are pretty mixed: It's a great speaker that's limited in functionality, doesn't have a smart display touchscreen, and is in some ways eclipsed by the Amazon Echo. If that’s leading to a little confusion, we can help. Continue reading to learn 5 signs that a HomePod would be a smart purchase for your home or office!
5 You Don't Have a Bluetooth Speaker Yet
This is one of the easiest questions for everyone considering a HomePod: Do you already have a Bluetooth speaker? Do you use it regularly? If so, the value of the HomePod decreases for you.
While it doesn't have universal Bluetooth capabilities (no Android connections for example), the HomePod essentially does everything a Bluetooth speaker can, except focused on Apple content.
If you already have a speaker to play your music and you are satisfied with its performance, there may not be a good reason to upgrade quite yet.
The exception here is if your Bluetooth speaker has no smart capabilities, and you really wish you could give it voice commands or control Apple-compatible smart devices around your home. If you lack these features and really want them, the HomePod may be worth the upgrade.
4 You're Heavily Invested in Apple Music and iTunes
The HomePod is a great music player... if you stay within Apple's perimeters. It's designed to work well with Apple Music and iTunes. If all of your music comes from those sources, then the HomePod can be an excellent audio companion. If you like to mix it up with music stored on different devices and platforms – and if you don't use Apple Music – then the HomePod becomes very limited.
Also note that if your family does use Apple Music, then the account will continue to "learn" musical preferences based on what you ask the HomePod. If people start telling the HomePod to play wildly different types of music, your Apple Music account may get a little confused about what you like. Currently, there's no way to quickly switch between Apple accounts using the HomePod.
3 You Have a Larger, Open Space to Fill with Sound
The HomePod has great sound – really great sound. A 4-inch speaker, subwoofer for bass, and 7 omnidirectional tweeters produce some of the best sound that any Bluetooth or smart speaker can create. That's especially good for filling up larger spaces with sound. If you have a big, open floor plan or a large room and you need the sound to reach, the HomePod is a strong choice.
2 You Aren't Invested in Any Other Voice Assistants
As you may expect, the HomePod uses Siri for voice commands. But, how do you feel about that? If you have a few Google devices around, you may be more comfortable with the "Ok, Google" conversation. Or maybe you've gotten used to an Echo device, and already use Alexa to answer questions and make notes. That's fine, but switching to Siri will take a little time to get used to.
Additionally, the HomePod can answer questions and play podcasts or the news, but it can't order products for you, and it's not compatible with list or calendar apps that aren't Apple's own.
It's fine if you already use Siri, but if you're used to another voice assistant you may have to accept some limitations.
1 You Use HomeKit
The HomePod can operate all kinds of smart devices around your house... but they have to be compatible with HomeKit first. If you've been buying your smart devices with HomeKit in mind and know everything is already compatible, great! HomePod can be a great control hub. If you don't really know what works with HomeKit or not, your HomePod may have limited or no control over your smart home.