HomePod, the cute ovoid-shaped intelligent speaker from Apple, is finally available in India. It was first announced in 2017 to compete with the likes of Amazon Echo and Google Home and over the years it has proved to be the best-sounding smart speaker around the block. Making the device appear more attractive to us is the price tag of Rs 19,900, which is a pleasant surprise, compared to the US price of $299.
Like for Amazon Echo devices there is Alexa, for the HomePod there is Siri. This also means that the effectiveness of the device depends much on the effectiveness of Siri. What makes the product a good launch in India is the fact that Siri understands Indian English.
The one thing that makes the cylindrical gadget score way higher than competition is the high-quality audio output. An Apple-designed high-excursion woofer is positioned at the top of the speaker facing upwards while a six-microphone array, along with an internal bass-EQ microphone, analyses the effect of the room on the bass response, providing a rich sound.
Such is the quality of sound engineering that one doesn’t need to “shout at” the HomePod to make Siri come alive. The echo and noise-cancellation technology employed by the device allows it to hear your commands without the need of raising one’s voice, even if you’re across the room and loud music is playing. Powering the device is an Apple-designed A8 chip, which makes real-time processing that much smoother while buffering is faster than on competitive devices.
Privacy too scores big. After HomePod recognises the words “Hey Siri”, what you say is encrypted and sent anonymously to Apple servers without being tied to your Apple ID.
Setting up the HomePod is easy. Plug it in and your iOS or iPadOS device will detect it. You can also pair it with a second HomePod to create an awesome stereo experience. And bring multi-room audio to your whole home with AirPlay 2.
Apple obviously makes great hardware, so the HomePod would be a good addition to the household if you are invested in the Apple ecosystem.
