A Low-Inspiration Solution in Search of a Problem. Sort It Out, Apple
Image: https://www.macrumors.com
Apple used to be a byword for innovation, and they had an “it just works” product lineup that other tech companies actually died over.
I actually don’t know when Apple moved into “solution in search of a problem” territory but the fact the render of a new HomePod both exists and is plausible says Apple has completely jumped the shark.
If you plan on writing in the comments that a screen “enhances the UX” please stop typing right now. You’re forgetting what Apple were good at, what they were and what they still could become.
The Dilemma
Apple never made the best products. They were never cutting edge. Yet there was work that needed to do on usability and bringing technology to ordinary people.
This extended to the HomePod range, which never had the best sound quality but integrated nicely with other Apple products.
Said nobody ever: “I wish it could show me the weather with cute animations while I’m playing the new Taylor Swift”. Instead of looking for usability improvements (kill HomePod Siri with fire) Apple are looking for a problem to solve that doesn’t exist.
Slapping a screen on it doesn’t suddenly make your thermostat or lights smarter it’s just a more expensive version of what’s already available.
Photo by Przemyslaw Marczynski on Unsplash
This Feels Off
I went to an Apple regional office last month and saw some evidence that they remember their past, as they have a Mac Classic in the cafeteria. Yet the soul of the company seems to have left, and has been replaced by a standard tech company modus operandi.
That means new products become a simple checklist exercise rather than true innovation. Does it have a touch screen? Check. Is it kind of like what Google did a few years ago? Check. Is it revolutionary? Nope. Will it sell? To the fanbois.
Photo by Juliana Lee @zioxis on Unsplash
Apple never used to be like this. The iPhone wasn’t “just a phone” but was a category redefining moment. The iPad wasn’t a larger iPhone (well, it was but you know), it became a third pillar of computing. A screen on the HomePod is like whacking a handle to the MacBook and calling it revolutionary (Oh wait, they kind of did that, too).
The “It’s Just Pretty” Effect
Let’s be honest: The screen will probably look stunning because, well, Apple. It might even make for some good Instagram shots. But if this is just about aesthetics, we’ve officially entered the “Apple Watch Edition gold version” phase of HomePod’s life.
Pretty doesn’t equal useful, and this all fits in perfectly with the $200 dollar coffee table book era of Apple. It’s not good.
Their Home offering for automation is a nightmare for developers and users alike. Who decided to limit security cameras to 1080p for example? There is more to be done here than making things just look good for the lowest possible R&D cost.
Innovation? Come on Apple
Instead of focusing on hardware gimmicks, how about fixing Siri? While Alexa and Google Assistant have evolved into conversational powerhouses, Siri is still fumbling to figure out if you asked it for the weather or if you called it by mistake.
The gap between what Siri should do and what it actually does is the real obstacle for the HomePod’s success. Sure, they might place a decent CPU in the HomePod for on-device Siri and implement a screen but then Apple are going to charge a completely unreasonable price (knowing them).
Conclusion
This isn’t an article claiming that Apple’s dead. They aren’t, they’re still a massively successful company. Moreover, this article is written on an Apple machine.
The problem is that I’ve been using Apple devices for long enough to want better. I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed.