Apple’s most uncared for product of 2024 deserved an enormous AI yr

Apple’s 2024 has centered on AI. Every new product introduction has highlighted AI; WWDC was largely a showcase for Apple Intelligence; subsequent week’s iPhone 16 launch occasion is anticipated to be AI-heavy too. However by some means, Apple’s most uncared for product of the yr can be the system that’s lacking out completely on Apple Intelligence and its upgraded Siri: the HomePod.

HomePod wins the ‘most uncared for’ prize

This month Apple is anticipated to launch its main new OS variations to the world. iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, visionOS 2, and extra are coming. Every will carry quite a lot of software program upgrades to their respective units.

Do you know that out of all of those software program updates, HomePod is the one product line getting no new options?

There’s, technically, a HomePod 18 software program replace coming. However Apple has shared nothing about it, and beta customers have found nothing new in it. All of this means it’s a bug repair launch solely.

If you happen to browse Apple’s web site and its product pages, you’ll discover particulars outlining new options coming quickly to the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Imaginative and prescient Professional, Watch, and even AirPods and the Apple TV 4K.

The one product line whose web page consists of no point out of recent options? The HomePod’s.

Apple has a number of product launches nonetheless to come back all through this fall. However the HomePod isn’t anticipated to be one among them. There have been no rumors of recent HomePods on the way in which.

I’ve yet one more piece of proof to help HomePod’s case as 2024’s most uncared for product line. It’s that there technically was a ‘new product launch’ for HomePod this yr. Nevertheless it was virtually worse than having nothing to supply in any respect.

Again in July, Apple launched the HomePod mini in a brand new ‘midnight’ shade, changing ‘area grey.’ If you already know something about Apple’s product colours, you’ll know that these two colours are mainly similar. One includes a tiny bit extra blue in it, however you need to look laborious to see the distinction.

So primarily, Apple’s solely HomePod product launch was the results of operating out of 1 kind of grey material, forcing a change to a different grey material that’s already employed by the bigger HomePod.

You possibly can see why I’m not giving Apple any credit score for that ‘product launch.’

Apple Intelligence and the brand new Siri: absent from HomePod

It’s not completely fallacious for the HomePod to have an off yr.

It’s a wise speaker, it doesn’t want revolutionary function updates or {hardware} adjustments yearly.

However this yr particularly, with Apple Intelligence’s launch, looks as if an particularly dangerous one for the HomePod to be handed over.

One of many tentpole options of Apple Intelligence is a new and improved Siri. This AI-infused Siri has lots going for it:

• it’s smarter than earlier than, with the flexibility to reply extra questions than ever
• it faucets into exterior chatbots like ChatGPT for issues it doesn’t know
• it’s extra forgiving whenever you misspeak
• it holds context from one request to the following
• and it’s certain for much more upgrades in 2025

The brand new Siri is coming this fall to Apple Intelligence-compatible units. This consists of iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

However no HomePods.

Regardless that Apple’s assistant is the first interface of the HomePod, the brand new Siri will completely bypass the system. Perhaps in a yr or two Siri for HomePod will get an improve, however Apple is mum.

So to summarize: the one system Apple sells that relies upon completely on Siri, received’t get the brand new AI-powered Siri any time quickly. Or possibly ever?

HomePod continues to be a product in Apple’s lineup

Let me be clear: I don’t like writing articles like this one. There’s loads of ranty content material on the web already, and I don’t care so as to add to it.

However as a longtime HomePod person, Apple’s lack of consideration to the product this yr is disappointing.

I perceive that the HomePod sells infinitely lower than the iPhone, and Apple wanted to prioritize its best-selling units for the Apple Intelligence launch.

However the firm has additionally put itself on this predicament resulting from years of minimal adjustments to Siri and the HomePod.

If Apple had been usually iterating on the HomePod already, then I’d have religion that it will carry the very best, device-relevant Apple Intelligence capabilities to HomePod in due time. Now, I’m undecided what the product’s future appears like.

And with the swirl of wierd rumors round potential HomePod successors with screens and robotic arms, I don’t know if Apple’s very positive of that future both.

What do you consider the HomePod being ignored this yr? What adjustments do you hope for within the product? Tell us within the feedback.

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