As Apple pursues AI, spare a thought for the poor HomePod

When the video kicking off Apple’s started yesterday, I used to be happy to see a HomePod within the opening shot. I hadn’t given any thought to Apple’s beleaguered sensible house speaker in ages, so I used to be all set for Tim Cook dinner and crew to ship an precise shock and reveal new stuff for HomePod. When the complete presentation then handed with out one other peep concerning the product, I used to be disenchanted, however resigned.

HomePod has at all times been behind the curve. When sensible audio system first got here on the scene, the sector was rapidly dominated by Amazon and Google, with Sonos because the boutique third-party choice. Apple the HomePod in June 2017, virtually three years after Amazon its unique Echo speaker.

The HomePod arrived too sluggish and value an excessive amount of, and (in an echo of the corporate’s present woes) Siri was too unhelpful, for the sensible speaker to essentially claw again a lot market share from its rivals. The Mini iteration got here out in late 2020, and the second-generation HomePod in February 2023 added assist for Thread sensible house customary. Not precisely pushing the boundaries of sensible speaker innovation.

And issues acquired worse for the poor HomePod as voice-controlled AI assistants have transitioned away from being centered round devoted audio system. AI is now being built-in ever-more tightly into our smartphones and computer systems, with much less want for a separate middleman gadget. Which brings us to the continued difficulty of Apple’s shaky foothold within the AI race.

Apple has been promising an enormous overhaul to Siri for awhile, with the brand new and improved model presently not due till . To point out off that new AI assistant, Apple is reportedly engaged on an that’s anticipated to have HomePod-like audio capabilities baked in, however will not be prepared for launch till . What’s an organization to do within the interim?

It is sensible for Apple to carry again on any huge developments to its current Siri-centric sensible house speaker. I get it. However I might have been hyped to see a stripped down HomePod that targeted extra on being a speaker than on being sensible. I’ve a Sonos that I really like, and a part of me assumed that I might ultimately improve to an Apple providing. The AirPods are such an ideal factor within the Apple ecosystem, and I exploit mine virtually every day. Having a robust, high-quality house speaker that delivers the simple interconnectivity that is such an enormous a part of Apple’s worth proposition might need helped bridge the time hole, holding Apple in individuals’s minds as a participant in house tech whereas the corporate works on its subsequent, extra modern transfer. Take one step again to take three steps ahead.

In observe, although, it feels just like the window for the HomePod to turn into a star in Apple’s lineup has shrunk to virtually nothing. As I now have a look at the current tendencies in AI and residential tech, I do not see an apparent area for a sensible speaker. That is not restricted to Apple; it is also fairly telling that each Amazon and Google have not been giving a lot like to their sensible audio system both. Actually, a majority of this yr are from specialist Sonos as the massive tech names have put their deal with AI as an alternative of audio. We’ll nonetheless have sensible audio system, however they’re going to be folded into multi-purpose devices and pitched as common smart-home aids.

To be clear, there’s been no indication that Apple will sundown the HomePod. However my private prediction is that HomePod will keep on the sidelines for now and get pushed even farther away from the highlight when the brand new sensible house merchandise are unveiled, receiving solely occasional consideration till Apple formally and quietly pulls the plug for good. And so will finish the lifetime of a star-crossed product that by no means acquired the prospect to shine at its full potential. Here is hoping I am mistaken.