**Thoughts on Waiting for the Second Generation Apple HomePod**
If you're an iOS person and really want a smart home speaker with superior sound quality, I wouldn't wait for the second generation. It took Apple six years to come out with the HomePod, and they are basically way behind Amazon and Google already. So, I wouldn't hold your breath on a new generation. Honestly, I wouldn't wait.
Apple's response was that if you're particularly wondering if some of the new features that are coming out won't be available on this first gen model, don't really need to worry about it like stereo and AirPlay will be released for this first gen HomePod sometime this year through a free software update. You can expect additional features to be rolled out to it as well without having to wait for a second generation.
**Creating Scenes with HomePod**
Unfortunately, the short answer is no currently you can't do that with scenes on HomePod. It's not an accessory in your home app to create smart home automation integrations with that speaker. So, you can't have it play energizing music in the morning and relaxing music at night like you would with other smart speakers.
Apple hasn't confirmed that this is something they will bring, but I really hope they do because that would be great. Mary had a follow-up question about creating scenes with HomePod. She wondered if future software updates to this first version of HomePod will include multi-user audio and opportunities for developers to create apps for it.
I would say that it's definitely possible that future updates will include other features like multi-user audio, but I'm not sure if it'll include voice training like Alexa and Google Assistant. Apple won't commit to an answer on that yet. If you say the wake words to Siri, she won't be able to differentiate between you and your roommate or whoever else you live with, which is definitely a limitation right now.
**Multi-User Audio and Developer Apps**
As for multi-user audio, I don't know if it'll be brought through a free update anytime in the future. Apple hasn't confirmed anything yet. However, I can say that it's definitely possible that future updates will include new features like multi-user audio.
Regarding developer apps, you're talking about HomeKit, which is now more of an open platform like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. More developers will be able to come in and create integrations, making it not so limited compared to their competitors. Currently, HomeKit has far fewer integrations than their competitors.
**Buying or Waiting for the Second Generation Apple HomePod**
The final question was from James Reeb who asked if he should buy or wait on the second generation Apple HomePod. This is a really nuanced question with no great yes-or-no answer. If you're an iOS person, and you're sold on HomePod, want superior sound quality, and are willing to pay $350 because that's a lot, I would say yes go ahead and get it.
If you're not sold on smart home stuff, don't want to spend that much, or don't really care about the superior sound quality, then I would say definitely not. If you are waiting to see about new features, then again, I would say just hold off if you're not sure.
However, Apple's response is that if you're looking for a great smart speaker experience, but don't want to wait for a second generation model or a less expensive one like Amazon did with the Echo Dot or Google did with the Google Home Mini, then it's worth considering.
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhey guys so apples home pod wireless voice enabled Siri speaker is now available for purchase at Apple comm and you all have a lot of questions about it so we went to Twitter and asked you to send us specific questions that we would answer in this video so that is exactly what we're gonna do right now so first up we have a question from Peres neeti I'm so sorry if I'm mispronouncing your name you are at Indian fandom and your question is how does it fare against the Google home max so that is a great question they're really really close which makes it a little bit difficult as far as a buying decision but the Google home max is a little bit more expensive it's 399 versus the Apple home pod which is 349 also you have to decide if you want a serie or a Google assistant enabled speaker so that's another big question but also the sound quality the home pod sounds a little bit better than the Google home max but the Google home max has a lot more conversational smart Google assistant integration so you can do a lot more with it it has voice training and has calling a lot more features so that's something you definitely need to think about next question from RJ at r.j. 1975 what are your thoughts on waiting on the second generation so if you're an iOS person and you really want a smart home speaker and you're into the superior sound quality I wouldn't wait it took Apple six years to come out at the home pod and they are basically way behind Amazon and Google already so I wouldn't hold your breath on a new generation honestly I wouldn't wait and if you're particularly wondering if some of the new features that are coming out won't be available on this first gen model you don't really need to worry about about that stuff like stereo and airplay to are going to be released for this first gen home pod sometime this year they haven't said exactly when but that's stuff that will be released through a free software updates you can expect that a lot of that stuff will you know additional features we'll be rolling out to that too on a free basis without having to wait for a second general another question we have that is a really really great question from Mary H she's at HMS studentship her question is are you able to create scenes through homekit that play music along with other homekit tasks playing energizing music with good morning relaxing music with good night etc that is a great question so unfortunately the short answer is no currently you can't do that with scenes home pod is not an accessory in your home app to create smart home automation integrations with that speaker so you can't have it play energizing music in the morning and relaxing music at night Apple hasn't confirmed that that's something they will bring but I really really hope they do because that would be great Mary each had a follow-up question - that was also really good is it possible future software updates to this first version of home pod will include multi-user audio and opportunities for developers to create apps for it so this is sort of similar to what RJ was asking about waiting for a second gen model or not I would say that it is definitely possible that future updates will include other features I can't say for sure if it'll include multi-user audio and also I'm not sure if I multi-user audio you mean voice training like Alexa and Google assistant currently have because Apple definitely won't commit to an answer on that yes so if you say that if you say the wake words to Siri she won't be able to differentiate between you and your roommate or whoever else do you live with which is definitely a limitation right now and I can't say if that's going to be brought through a free update anytime in the future as far as developers creating apps if you're talking about home kit that's a definite yes so through iOS 11.3 you will be able to have home kit as like a more open platform so they're trying to do more of the Amazon Alexa and Google assistant thing where more developers can come in and create integration so that it's not so limited because homecare right now has far fewer integrations than their competitors a final question that that was really good is from let's see from James James rebury James Ribery sorry James it's at James Reeb okay here's what he says big question buy or wait I think I want to wait used to be a me first with Apple stuff but lately I'm waiting I even chose an A+ over the X so this is a really nuanced question with not a great yes-or-no answer but if you are an iOS person if you are sold on home kid if you want superior sound quality if you're willing to pay 350 bucks because that's a lot then I would say yes go ahead and get it if you are not sold on smart home stuff if you don't want to spend that much if you're not really if you don't really care about the superior sound quality because again like the Amazon echo is a hundred bucks and it sounds pretty good so if you don't really care that much then I would say definitely not if you are waiting to see about new features then again I would say just hold off if you're not sure and give it a second but again I wouldn't be waiting for that second gen model to come out right away or a less expensive one like Amazon did with that go dot or Google did with the Google hominy so that's just a brief overview of some of the questions you guys are asking about the $349 Apple home pod that is available starting February 9th which is today the day that we're filming this feel free to reach out to me on Twitter at Megan bulletin that's wo ll eat rton for any follow up questions I'm happy to answer them thanks for watching right now it doesn't support voice training or anything like that so if you say the wake word to Siri hey Siri I think she's going to respond to Wi-Fi issues look in the home app associated with this home for more information damnhey guys so apples home pod wireless voice enabled Siri speaker is now available for purchase at Apple comm and you all have a lot of questions about it so we went to Twitter and asked you to send us specific questions that we would answer in this video so that is exactly what we're gonna do right now so first up we have a question from Peres neeti I'm so sorry if I'm mispronouncing your name you are at Indian fandom and your question is how does it fare against the Google home max so that is a great question they're really really close which makes it a little bit difficult as far as a buying decision but the Google home max is a little bit more expensive it's 399 versus the Apple home pod which is 349 also you have to decide if you want a serie or a Google assistant enabled speaker so that's another big question but also the sound quality the home pod sounds a little bit better than the Google home max but the Google home max has a lot more conversational smart Google assistant integration so you can do a lot more with it it has voice training and has calling a lot more features so that's something you definitely need to think about next question from RJ at r.j. 1975 what are your thoughts on waiting on the second generation so if you're an iOS person and you really want a smart home speaker and you're into the superior sound quality I wouldn't wait it took Apple six years to come out at the home pod and they are basically way behind Amazon and Google already so I wouldn't hold your breath on a new generation honestly I wouldn't wait and if you're particularly wondering if some of the new features that are coming out won't be available on this first gen model you don't really need to worry about about that stuff like stereo and airplay to are going to be released for this first gen home pod sometime this year they haven't said exactly when but that's stuff that will be released through a free software updates you can expect that a lot of that stuff will you know additional features we'll be rolling out to that too on a free basis without having to wait for a second general another question we have that is a really really great question from Mary H she's at HMS studentship her question is are you able to create scenes through homekit that play music along with other homekit tasks playing energizing music with good morning relaxing music with good night etc that is a great question so unfortunately the short answer is no currently you can't do that with scenes home pod is not an accessory in your home app to create smart home automation integrations with that speaker so you can't have it play energizing music in the morning and relaxing music at night Apple hasn't confirmed that that's something they will bring but I really really hope they do because that would be great Mary each had a follow-up question - that was also really good is it possible future software updates to this first version of home pod will include multi-user audio and opportunities for developers to create apps for it so this is sort of similar to what RJ was asking about waiting for a second gen model or not I would say that it is definitely possible that future updates will include other features I can't say for sure if it'll include multi-user audio and also I'm not sure if I multi-user audio you mean voice training like Alexa and Google assistant currently have because Apple definitely won't commit to an answer on that yes so if you say that if you say the wake words to Siri she won't be able to differentiate between you and your roommate or whoever else do you live with which is definitely a limitation right now and I can't say if that's going to be brought through a free update anytime in the future as far as developers creating apps if you're talking about home kit that's a definite yes so through iOS 11.3 you will be able to have home kit as like a more open platform so they're trying to do more of the Amazon Alexa and Google assistant thing where more developers can come in and create integration so that it's not so limited because homecare right now has far fewer integrations than their competitors a final question that that was really good is from let's see from James James rebury James Ribery sorry James it's at James Reeb okay here's what he says big question buy or wait I think I want to wait used to be a me first with Apple stuff but lately I'm waiting I even chose an A+ over the X so this is a really nuanced question with not a great yes-or-no answer but if you are an iOS person if you are sold on home kid if you want superior sound quality if you're willing to pay 350 bucks because that's a lot then I would say yes go ahead and get it if you are not sold on smart home stuff if you don't want to spend that much if you're not really if you don't really care about the superior sound quality because again like the Amazon echo is a hundred bucks and it sounds pretty good so if you don't really care that much then I would say definitely not if you are waiting to see about new features then again I would say just hold off if you're not sure and give it a second but again I wouldn't be waiting for that second gen model to come out right away or a less expensive one like Amazon did with that go dot or Google did with the Google hominy so that's just a brief overview of some of the questions you guys are asking about the $349 Apple home pod that is available starting February 9th which is today the day that we're filming this feel free to reach out to me on Twitter at Megan bulletin that's wo ll eat rton for any follow up questions I'm happy to answer them thanks for watching right now it doesn't support voice training or anything like that so if you say the wake word to Siri hey Siri I think she's going to respond to Wi-Fi issues look in the home app associated with this home for more information damn\n"