A viral video featuring a booby-trapped HomePod box that pranked package thieves with a glitter bomb has been criticized for faking some of the reactions of the would-be "thieves," who were in fact acquaintances of friends of the video's creator.
Siri on HomePod improved its standing in an annual smart speaker comparison carried out by analyst Gene Munster's Loup Ventures, with Apple's virtual assistant weathering a barrage of accuracy tests to place second behind Google Assistant.
Time is running out to snap up significant savings on Apple hardware and accessories just in time for Christmas. Find the lowest prices on 2018 MacBook Airs (starting at just $1,049 with a free USB-C hub), or save $250 to $350 on 2017 models. Apple's 2018 iPads are also on sale at $80 to $100 off, while HomePods are $249 while supplies last.
After originally selling out, B&H has brought back the incredibly popular $249 deal on Apple's HomePod with free expedited delivery. What's more, B&H will not collect sales tax in many states. Supplies are limited, so grab this deal while you can.
Three days days ahead of schedule, Amazon has made Apple Music available to at least some of its Alexa owners.
As smart speakers continue to encroach into our lives, the cheaper ones from Google and Amazon need to get better at knowing when we do and don't want them to speak up.
Apple will be bringing the HomePod to China and Hong Kong, the company has announced, with the major markets set to be the next two regions where the smart speaker will be sold.
Speakers are probably one of the easiest gift choices. You can spend a little on a portable Bluetooth speaker, or practically infinite amounts on whole-home audio. AppleInsider rounds up the best speaker gift ideas for this holiday season.
Apple on Monday updated its Machine Learning Journal with a post by the company's Siri speech and audio software engineering teams, explaining how the company uses machine learning to help the HomePod hear people under tougher circumstances than iPhones and iPads.
Black Friday deals are in effect now with Apple's HomePod on sale for $249 at Apple authorized reseller B&H Photo after a $100 cash discount. What's more, B&H will not collect sales tax in many states, and shipping is free. Supplies are limited at the special price, and the offer is likely to sell out.
Accompanying Tuesday's iOS 12.1 update is a new version of Shortcuts, Apple's custom automation tool, with a host of new possible actions.
The launch of the HomePod in Spain and Mexico on Friday has opened up speculation of the smart speaker's release in other countries, including an announcement about a rollout in Italy that could be revealed during the company's Oct. 30 event.
Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed a continuing European trip on Thursday, making a stop in Madrid, Spain to help promote the HomePod a day ahead of its local launch.
Although it has a following similar to other high end smart speakers, the Apple HomePod is still being eclipsed in the U.S. market by cheaper offerings by Amazon and Google, newly-published survey data suggests.
Media personalities have been bending over backward to find a way to square the claims made by Bloomberg in its "China Hack" story with a series of strongly worded denials from Amazon and Apple insisting that the report was "wrong and misinformed." However, there is solid evidence that Bloomberg has previously published a series of false claims before, either from a lack of research coupled with bad perspective, or possibly to simply craft a dramatic narrative.
A new report took Apple to task for updating HomePod software rather than introducing a cheaper version to compete with Amazon and Google at the bottom of the smart speaker market. However, it also revealed that Apple new product surpassed sales of 3 million devices half way through 2018, with sales accelerating from its first quarter of availability.
We can't even guarantee that there will be another Apple Special Event in October — yet that hasn't stopped, squashed, or even dented the rumors of how great it will be. AppleInsider looks at the facts behind other October events, and what could still be on the way.
Near the end of the "Gather Round" keynote Wednesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced some updated features for HomePod, including improved Siri functionality — and they have now arrived.
While the HomePod provides room-filling sound and Siri-powered smart features, there are alternatives that could provide similar features while maintaining the audio. One option is the Fluance Fi70, a Bluetooth-enabled speaker boasting power and quality that the HomePod simply cannot match.
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Malcolm Owen
Andrew O'Hara
Christine McKee
Mike Wuerthele
Roger Fingas
Daniel Eran Dilger
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