We are now one month out since HomePod was released, and I’ve been using Apple’s smart speaker every day since it launched. First on the road while traveling, then at home with a variety of other smart speakers.
My thoughts on HomePod have shifted over that period, but my key takeaway is this: HomePod is the best smart speaker for Apple Music subscribers in the Apple ecosystem, but the experience needs to evolve before it’s ready for the masses.
The bottom line for me is that I really enjoy using HomePod myself — for hours at a time every day — but I wouldn’t gift HomePod (or any other smart speaker) to a family member just yet. HomePod just isn’t that straightforward yet. Apple Watch crossed the family friendly threshold for me with version two, and AirPods were gift-worthy from day one for comparison.
HomePod instead feels more like the fourth generation Apple TV. That product debuted with new capabilities like Siri control and an app platform, but took a few softwa
