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Apple HomePod launches in China on January 18th
Apple's HomePod has only been available in a handful of countries (mostly North America and Europe) so far, but it's expanding availability in grand fashion. The company is releasing its smart speaker in China, including Hong Kong, on January 18th. There aren't any major changes to the device for its Asian debut, but it'll naturally tap into local playlists and support AirPlay for services beyond Apple Music.
Apple patent could make it impossible to put headphones on wrong
It's been rumored that Apple has been working on a pair of over-ear headphones for some time now. While the company hasn't revealed any details, a recently approved patent may provide a glimpse into Apple's plans. The patent, titled "System and method for automatic right-left ear detection for headphones," details a concept for a "reversible" pair of headphones that would change left and right ears depending on how you put them on.
Trump will reportedly spare Apple products from latest China tariffs (updated)
If you were scrambling to buy the latest Apple Watch out of concern that Trump's next round of tariffs could lead to price hikes, you can likely relax. Bloomberg sources have claimed that the new tariffs don't affect a technology category that covers many of Apple's products, including the Watch, AirPods, the HomePod and Beats headphones. This is also likely to exempt comparable products from other companies, such as Fitbit's activity trackers and Sonos' speakers, but the scoop only mentioned Apple's by name.
Apple releases watchOS 5 with fitness upgrades and smarter Siri
If you have an Apple Watch and aren't determined to buy Series 4, your upgrade is here. Apple has released watchOS 5 right on schedule, promising big updates to fitness and Siri as well as a few apps that were arguably overdue. You now have automatic workout detection , competition with friends, advanced run tracking and expanded workouts that include hiking and yoga. Siri, meanwhile, no longer needs to wait for "hey Siri" when you raise your wrist, and the Siri watch face both provides more info (including Siri Shortcuts) and third-party app support.
Apple's HomePod speaker will make and receive phone calls
We haven't heard much about Apple's HomePod speaker since it added multi-room support in May, three months after it launched in the US. Up until then, the device hadn't received much flair due to the lack of features that other smart speakers have out of the box. But for those of you who already have one, there is some good news. Apple has announced that the HomePod will soon be able to make and receive phone calls as well as search music by lyrics -- something rival speakers, like the Google Home, have been able to do for some time.
Apple may be working on multi-user support for Siri
Today, Apple Insider reported that Apple had been granted a patent that would allow a voice recognition system to identify a user based on their speech and perform tasks based on who is speaking. This could be the framework for Apple to offer multi-user support with Siri.
Galaxy Home is Samsung's Bixby-powered smart speaker
Samsung has been developing a speaker based on its own digital assistant, Bixby, for awhile. But today, we're getting our first look at it. During the company's Galaxy Note 9 event in New York City, Samsung finally revealed the Galaxy Home smart speaker, a clear rival to the Apple HomePod, the Google Home and the Amazon Echo line. The device, which features the rumored tripod design with a round body, is powered by Harman's AKG audio and was engineered to "make music sound amazing."
The nine speakers we recommend in our back-to-school guide
Though our back-to-school guide includes plenty of headphones, we threw in just as many speakers. Whether you intend to host a few parties or just want the convenience of a smart speaker, we found a number of models that we feel earn their space in your dorm. As you might expect, our list of nine picks include plenty of smart speakers, including usual suspects like the Apple HomePod, Google Home and Sonos One. Our feeling is, if you're going to invest in bookshelf or desktop speakers, you may as well have the option of using voice commands. That said, nearly half of our recommendations are portable, with highlights from JBL, Bang & Olufsen and the category leader, UE. As a warning, not everything on this list is cheap (we're looking at you, Klipsch), but some, like the UE Wonderboom are much cheaper, with a street price of around $70. Find all that and more (plus those headphone picks we mentioned) in our complete guide.
HomePod phone calls could arrive with iOS 12
Since its announcement at WWDC, Apple has been teasing a range of iOS 12 improvements scheduled for release in the fall. The roster includes a streamlined Siri, speeding up elderly iPhones, and a FaceTime overhaul, with no mention of HomePod updates. However, it has emerged that the smart speaker could soon receive a much requested feature: phone call support.
HomePod may get phone call support and multiple timers
While Apple was quiet about HomePod updates at WWDC, that doesn't mean it's twiddling its thumbs -- its staff are privately testing pre-release software. And now, we might know what that software entails. French site iGeneration claims to have details of the HomePod's iOS 12-based beta, and it could address a laundry list of feature requests for Apple's smart speaker. Most notably, it would include native phone call support. Instead of having to start the call on your iPhone and switch audio inputs, you could both place and receive calls through the HomePod. Your smartphone would just supply the cellular connection. This wouldn't be a new concept by a long shot, but it'd be extremely helpful if you'd rather not stay within earshot of your iPhone's modest speakers.
AirPlay 2 makes Sonos the best audio option for most iPhone owners
For a long time, Sonos was only capable of streaming music to its speakers through a proprietary app, but that's changed in the last few years. After working with music services like Spotify and Pandora, users can stay in those apps and stream music straight to your Sonos setup. That hasn't been the case if you're an Apple Music user, until now: as of today, Sonos supports Apple's AirPlay 2 protocol. After spending a week or so testing out a beta version of the software, I can say that pretty much all Sonos owners who use iOS devices will get a lot out of this update.
Apple's future AirPods may offer noise cancellation and greater range
Apple might have larger plans in store for future AirPods beyond water resistance. Bloomberg sources claim that a higher-end version of the totally wireless earbuds could arrive "as early as" 2019 with noise cancellation and longer wireless range in addition to protection against rain and sweat. There's no mention of whether or not there would be an audio quality boost at the same time, but you at least wouldn't have to endure unwanted noises from the outside world. It's safe to presume they'd cost more than the existing $159.
Apple's HomePod in stereo: When two become one
Apple was late releasing the HomePod. And even though the company took a few extra months to finish things up, it shipped without two key features: multi-room audio and stereo pairing. Without those, there wasn't a compelling case for buying multiple HomePods. But Apple has finally released a long-awaited software update for that enables the AirPlay 2 streaming protocol -- which also lets owners pair two HomePods in stereo or group together multiple speakers across your house. With that big update out in the wild, I wanted to see how easy it was to manage multiple HomePods and hear how good a stereo pair sounded. While there are legitimate complaints with the smart speaker, the audio quality was never a problem. And with stereo pairing, two HomePods are definitely better than one.
Apple's HomePod arrives in Canada, France and Germany this June
Wedged in among Apple's wider iOS 11.4 announcement today comes the news that HomePod is launching in Germany, France and Canada on June 18. This is a significant market expansion, and one surely designed to boost sales of the Siri-powered smart speaker that have so far been rather uninspiring. While Apple hasn't released any official figures, third parties have speculated on disappointing numbers.
Apple lists speakers that work with AirPlay 2 streaming
Today, Apple released iOS 11.4, bringing with it AirPlay 2, Apple's latest standard for streaming audio, video and games to your speakers or TV. One of the key features of AirPlay 2 is the option to play audio through two HomePod speakers in stereo -- that's the only speaker which supports AirPlay 2 right now. But there are a number of third-party speakers you can also soon use with AirPlay 2, with the option to chain them together to set up groups and multi-room playback.
iOS 11.4 will add multi-room and stereo audio to the HomePod today
Apple will release iOS 11.4 today, which, with the inclusion of AirPlay 2, brings more functionality to the HomePod. Though other speakers, like the Amazon Echo and Google Home already feature multi-room audio, the HomePod didn't launch with that capability. It also hasn't yet supported stereo pairing. But with today's update, the HomePod now supports both features. Users can sync their HomePods with other AirPlay 2-enabled speakers and play audio throughout multiple rooms. They can also pair two HomePods to create a stereo system. HomePod will launch in Canada, France and Germany on June 18th.
Sonos confirms only newer speakers will support AirPlay 2
When Sonos announced forthcoming support for AirPlay 2 back in October, it was pretty vague about exactly what that would look like. Now, it's clarified matters, and while support is definitely on its way, there are a few caveats involved. In an announcement to MacObserver, the company says that AirPlay 2 will only be compatible with the Sonos One, Sonos Play:5 and Playbase. Older speakers won't have native support.
Is Apple’s HomePod failing?
A report from Bloomberg earlier this week claimed that Apple's HomePod isn't doing so well, and that the company cut orders for new hardware from suppliers. This might not shock some of you: Apple missed the all-important holiday buying season and is competing with less expensive hardware from Google, Sonos and Amazon. But is the first smart speaker with Siri already a failure, or does the HomePod simply need time to find its place?
Bloomberg: HomePod sales are slow, per suppliers and analysts
It has only been a few months since Apple entered the smart speaker market with its $349 HomePod, but a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests it's not selling as well as the company hoped. The report cites sources close to suppliers for some of its components, Apple Store workers and industry analysts who report that between its relatively high price, late entry to the market after the holiday season and somewhat limited AI capabilities, the HomePod isn't making much of a dent.
Do you need a smart home hub?
When life gets chaotic, it can be convenient to have all your smart home devices operating on the same wavelength. Achieving this sort of harmony sometimes requires a hub to consolidate the myriad gadgets in your house. But not everyone needs a dedicated smart hub to make their setup run smoothly. A smart speaker like the Amazon Echo or the Google Home can serve a similar purpose, with each device's respective apps acting as central command. Manufacturers have even begun bundling hubs into other devices like security systems and mesh WiFi routers, making home automation simpler for beginners.
