Apple Just Released Its HomePod Speaker to Compete With Amazon’s Echo

Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference has been long awaited by investors and tech fans, and it was at the WWDC that Apple just unveiled something big. The company unveiled HomePod on Monday, a Siri-based speaker that will give Amazon’s Echo smart some fierce competition.

The HomePod was the centerpiece at the conference. Don’t get too excited yet because it isn’t available until December 2017. At a price tag of $349. it’s also a lot more expensive than the Echo which is priced at $179. It’s even a lot higher than Google’s Home which goes for $129.

So what makes the speaker so special when it costs so much more? Sophisticated hardware for one. It has been dubbed as a music speaker, as it has seven small “tweeter” speakers at the bottom as well as a 4″ woofer. The Echo in comparison has only two speakers with a 2.5″ woofer. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook even said, “the sound quality for music is going to blow everyone away.”

The HomePod can do a lot more than just do music though. You can even ask “Who’s the drummer in this song?” It can also help you read the news and other activities by just saying “Hey Siri” to get it going. The device, which comes in black or white, lights up at the top when you say “Hey Siri.”

Is Apple late to the market with the HomePod? This is what Tim Cook had to say, “For us, it’s not about being first. It’s about being the best and giving the user an experience that delights them every time. We don’t let that impatience result in shipping something that is just not great.”

At a price of $349, hopefully it is the best.

Disclaimer: We have no position in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) and have not been compensated for this article.