Apple Music is going head to head with Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Home in the home speaker market with its new voice-controlled HomePod system.
The HomePod speaker is designed to work with an Apple Music subscription for access to over 40 million songs and comes with an array of six microphones, so users can interact with it from across the room, even while loud music is playing. By saying “hey Siri” users will be able to select songs, control volume and ask questions about the tracks and artists playing, such as “who is the drummer in this band?”
Furthermore, users will be able to use HomePod in the same way they use Siri with their smartphones, whilst also emulating functions seen in Amazon and Google’s rival products, such as controlling other smart home-based products like smart light bulbs.
“Apple reinvented portable music with iPod and now HomePod will reinvent how we enjoy music wirelessly throughout our homes,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing. “HomePod packs powerful speaker technology, Siri intelligence and wireless access to the entire Apple Music library into a beautiful speaker that is less than 7 inches tall, can rock most any room with distortion free music and be a helpful assistant around your home.”
HomePod will be available for $349 (US) in white and space grey starting in December initially in Australia, the UK and the US.
