Perhaps to be filed under “DUH!” – iPhone users show more interest buying Apple’s upcoming HomePod speaker than Amazon Echo devices. Interest in the as yet to be released speaker is greater than it was in the Apple Watch prior to its launch.
Circulated by analyst firm Raymond James and first reported by CNBC, 14 percent of iPhone owners were planning on purchasing the HomePod. Also according to the firm, following announcement of the Apple Watch and before shipping the device, 7 percent of iPhone users were looking to buy the wearable.
The analyst firm also notes that if combined with the 5% of iPhone owners who would buy a Beats-branded speaker, Apple tops the 16% looking to buy an Amazon Echo.
Apple unveiled the HomePod at WWDC 2017 in June. The new connected speaker is just under 7-inches tall, and is encased in a 3D mesh acoustic fiber. The speaker is powered by an A8 chip, and boasts 7 tweeters and a dynamic modeling subwoofer. It offers music-focused Siri features, realtime acoustic modeling, audio beam-forming, and multi-channel echo cancellation.
From Apple’s HomePod page:
At just under 7 inches tall, HomePod represents years of hardware and software innovation:
- Apple-designed upward-facing woofer, paired with the custom A8 chip, enables bass management through real-time software modeling that ensures the speaker delivers the deepest and cleanest bass possible, with low distortion;
- Custom array of seven beam-forming tweeters, each with its own amplifier, provides well-balanced smooth timbre as well as precise directional control of a multitude of beam shapes and sizes;
- Apple-designed A8 chip provides the brains behind the advanced audio innovations;
- Automatic room-sensing technology allows HomePod to quickly learn its position in a room, whether it’s in a corner, on a table or in a bookshelf, and within seconds, is perfectly optimized to deliver an immersive music listening experience wherever it is placed;
- Six-microphone array with advanced echo cancellation enables Siri to understand people whether they are near the device or standing across the room, even while loud music is playing;
- Siri waveform appears on the top to indicate when Siri is engaged, and integrated touch controls also allow easy navigation;
- Automatic detection and balance of two speakers using both direct and reflected audio to deliver amazing audio wirelessly for an even more immersive experience; and
- Easy setup that is as intuitive as setting up AirPods — simply hold an iPhone next to HomePod and it’s ready to start playing music in seconds.
For more information on the HomePod, visit our Apple HomePod information page.
