Apple HomePod (2017)

250 reviews

Dec, 2024

Positive
usability (64)
sound (54)
design (51)
size (28)
reliability (6)

Negative
price (34)

General overview
Price comparison

alaTest has collected and analyzed 250 reviews of Apple HomePod (2017). The average rating for this product is 4.2/5, compared to an average rating of 4.5/5 for other products in the same category for all reviews. People are impressed by the reliability and size. The design and sound are also appreciated. Some have doubts about the price.

usability, sound, design, size, reliability

price

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other products in the same category the Apple HomePod (2017) is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 91/100 = Excellent quality.

Review analysis

(Based on 250 reviews)

Expert Reviews

User Reviews

Review Ratings

(57% of reviews)
Show all 5 star reviews (26% of reviews)
Show all 4 star reviews (11% of reviews)
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Showing 196 review(s)

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Showing 1 - 10 of 196 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (65)

Expert review by : Caleb Denison (digitaltrends.com)

Apple HomePod review

It's finally here. Should you buy one? You'll find the answer in our Apple HomePod review.

Excellent, nuanced sound ; Great design ; Easy HomeKit setup and control ; Streaming support via AirPlay

No built-in support for Spotify, Pandora, or other apps ; Requires iOS device running iOS 11.2.5 to set up ; No Bluetooth or Aux jack for non-iOS devices

While the Apple HomePod is an outstanding speaker, it is made for a very specific audience and excludes many potential users. Until the HomePod offers support for multiple streaming apps and has more third-party app and feature integration, its...

Sep, 2018

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Expert review by (engadget.com)

Apple HomePod review: A great speaker that’s not so smart

It's no secret that the HomePod was designed to be a speaker first and an assistant second. What's really surprising was how much better the HomePod performs as the former. With an omnidirectional array of tweeters, one big woofer and an A8 chipset to...

Seriously excellent sound ; Siri responds quickly to commands ; Subtle design ; AirPlay streaming works well

Siri is limited compared to its rivals ; Can't identify multiple users ; No Bluetooth streaming or audio inputs ; Limited third-party support (for now)

Chris is Engadget's senior mobile editor and moonlights as a professional moment ruiner. His early years were spent taking apart Sega consoles and writing awful fan fiction. That passion for electronics and words would eventually lead him to covering...

Feb, 2018

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Expert review by : Justin Jaffe (cnet.com)

Apple HomePod arrives in China on Jan. 18

Siri's homegrown smart speaker enters an enormous and complicated market.

Jan, 2019

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Expert review by : Sascha Segan, Tim Gideon (pcmag.com)

Apple HomePod

The HomePod excels as a high-quality smart speaker for listening to Apple Music, but trails behind Amazon and Google when it comes to voice control.

Powerful audio performance with rich, full bass. Measurement mic adjusts audio according to your room's acoustics. Visually pleasing design.

No Bluetooth streaming. No aux input. No voice control for non-Apple music services. Siri is behind the competition. Leaves rings on some wooden surfaces.

The HomePod is a sonic success. Purists may thumb their noses at the DSP and overall inability to disable the room-adapting technology in favor of an unadulterated signal, but we can at least confirm that, while the audio performance may be steeped in...

Jun, 2018

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Expert review by : Brandon Dimmel (audioholics.com)

Apple’s New HomePod Speaker to Compete with Amazon Echo

Apple unveiled the aptly named HomePod, a speaker that stands seven inches tall and designed to go up against the Amazon Echo but promises better sound quality. Is it worth $350 asking price? Read on.

Jun, 2017

Partner Source

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Expert review by : Chris Davies (slashgear.com)

Apple HomePod Review (2023): New Siri Speaker Sticks To The Old Strategy - SlashGear

The newest version of the Apple HomePod keeps everything that was good in the original version and drops a few of the negative elements. But is it enough?

Great sound quality ; Siri now handles multi-user households ; Flexible and easy to setup smart home hub

The big third-party music services still feel like second-class citizens ; Cheaper price tag is still relatively expensive

Feb, 2023

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Expert review by : Michael Brown (techhive.com)

Apple HomePod review: For ardent Apple fans only

You'll need a mobile Apple device of recent vintage just to set up this smart speaker, which is tightly tied to Apple services.

Beautiful industrial design ; Very responsive to voice commands ; Good musical performance

The more-expensive Google Home Max delivers higher fidelity ; Limits you to Apple’s own music services ; Siri is inferior to Alexa and Google Assistant ; HomeKit is the least-supported smart home platform

Considering how late to market the HomePod is, it’s very surprising just how far behind the curve this smart speaker is compared to the competition. Perhaps Apple assumes that its brand loyalists don’t mind living inside its walled garden. But not...

Mar, 2018

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Expert review by : Ilse Jurriën (letsgodigital.org)

Apple HomePod wireless music speaker

Apple HomePod smart speaker : Apple announced HomePod, a wireless speaker for the home that delivers amazing audio quality and uses spatial awareness to sense its location in a room and automatically adjust the audio. Designed to work with an Apple...

As a home assistant, HomePod is a great way to send messages, get updates on news, sports and weather, or control smart home devices by simply asking Siri to turn on the lights, close the shades or activate a scene. When away from home, HomePod is the...

Jun, 2017

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Expert review by : John Velasco (phonearena.com)

Apple HomePod Review

Smart speakers have been getting more traction recently and have shown us all how useful they can be. Apple, interestingly enough, is a little bit late to the game – albeit, most are going to be optimistic about the endeavor. But despite the high...

Incredible power, rich audio quality ; Ability to adapt its tuning based on acoustics analysis ; Chic, modern design

Pricey at $350 ; Lack of music services integration beyond Apple Music (though you can use AirPlay to stream Spotify, Pandora, etc.) ; Siri isn't as intelligent as other voice-assistant services ; Only compatible with iOS devices

Feb, 2018

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Expert review by (zdnet.com)