The GHI's Tried & Tested verdict of the Apple HomePod
Tested June 2018
If you've got an iPhone or iPad and you're looking for a smart speaker, the HomePod is the perfect buy. Not only does this speaker sound excellent, with a rich warm sound that's got plenty of punch in the bass, it also features Siri, Apple's voice assistant.
Siri can control your music for you, it can adjust the volume, skip tracks and even play specific songs, albums or playlists (you can also use the touch controls on the top of the HomePod). Even better, the voice assistant behaves in the same way it does on your phone. So whether you want alarms, reminders and timers set or you want to find out more about the weather or something that requires searching the internet, it's also possible. Siri can even send messages, but it can't make calls (however, you can use the HomePod as a speakerphone if calls come through to your mobile).
Even better, you can create a multi-room audio system with other HomePods or other speakers that support AirPlay 2 (Bose, Bang & Olufsen, Libratone and Sonos are among the manufacturers that have revealed updates to current speakers or launch new speakers featuring AirPlay 2). Or pair two HomePods together in stereo mode to create a more traditional left and right channel listening experience.
The HomePod works with Apple Music, which does require a monthly subscription priced at £9.99. But we love that once HomePod is set up, the Apple Music subscriber can leave the house with their Apple device but Apple Music can still be played on the HomePod.
Apple's HomePod isn't cheap, but the sound quality alone more than justifies the price tag. However, if you've got an Android phone but subscribe to Apple Music, this isn't the speaker for you. It can't be set-up without an Apple device and there's no Bluetooth connectivity.
Available from: apple.com/uk
The perfect speaker for iPhone or iPad owners that want excellent sound quality and the benefits of a voice assistant too. Simple to set up, HomePod nearly has it all - but Android users will struggle with it.
Power supply: Mains power
Voice assistant: Siri
Voice-controllable music services: Apple Music, Spotify, TuneIn
Instructions: 3.5/5
Apple's voice assistant Siri is built-in, you can ask it to adjust the volume, skip tracks or play a specific song, album or playlist
Siri isn't restricted to control of music - the voice assistant can also give you the weather, convert measurements, set timers, alarms and reminders, send messages (including via WhatsApp) and control your smart home devices if they're HomeKit compatible
Excellent sound quality with warmth and richness, and plenty of punch from the bass
Once set up, if the Apple Music subscriber leaves the house with their device, those at home can still play Apple Music through the speaker
It's also possible to play music from other streaming services including Spotify and TuneIn using AirPlay (Apple's Bluetooth technology)
You can create a multi-room audio system with other HomePods connected to your home wi-fi network or other speakers that support AirPlay 2
Even if you have a subscription to Apple Music, this won't work with Android devices as you can't set it up
It's very expensive
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