The HomePod: Apple’s foray into smart speakers and home audio

Last week, Apple held their annual Worldwide Developers Conference to announce some exciting updates and new products. Along with iMac Pro, iOS11 and a line of updated Macbooks, Apple unveiled their much anticipated HomePod.

The HomePod, which comes in both white and space grey, contains an A8 chip brain (the same as in your iPhone) and is powered by Apple’s intelligent personal assistant, Siri. Together with Apple Music, the HomePod helps to find the music you love. And with the help of HomeKit, IFTTT and integration with many other smart products, the smart speaker can help complete your smart home.

While the HomePod is slated to compete directly with the Amazon Echo and the Google Home, Apple’s sights extend beyond smart speaker market as they hope to bridge the gap between high quality wireless audio and the smart speaker. The HomePod boasts seven tweeters, each with its own amplifier, an upward facing woofer and special awareness that automatically adjusts to the room to provide optimal sound. For even fuller sound, two HomePods can work together in a single room.

The HomePod is set to release in December of 2017, initially in Australia, the UK and the US, and will retail for $349 (US). Worldwide shipping is expected in early 2018.