Apple Aims to Boost HomePod Sales With New Audio Software Lead

Apple has hired a new software lead for the HomePod team as part of an effort to better compete with smart home speakers from Amazon and Google, reports Bloomberg.

syng cell alpha table feature

The Syng Cell Alpha

Afrooz Family, an audio engineer who worked at Apple from 2012 to 2016, has rejoined the company and is leading software development on the ‌HomePod‌/Apple TV team. Family co-founded speaker company Syng alongside former Apple design team member Christoper Stringer. Syng is known for the super expensive Cell Alpha, which boasts "triphonic" audio technology that's able to create an immersive, dynamic sound field.

Apple has struggled to get the ‌HomePod‌ to catch on since its launch in 2018. The initial version of the speaker was priced at $350 and boasted higher-quality audio than competitors, but it was just not as popular as much more affordable smart speaker options from Samsung and Google.

The original ‌HomePod‌ was discontinued earlier this year with Apple instead opting to focus on the $99 HomePod mini, which is smaller and much more appealing due to its lower price tag.

Going forward, Apple plans to create a combined ‌HomePod‌, ‌Apple TV‌, and FaceTime device that will serve as an all-in-one entertainment option. According to Bloomberg, such a device could be released as early as 2023.

Related Roundup: HomePod mini
Buyer's Guide: HomePod Mini (Caution)

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Top Rated Comments

yadmonkey Avatar
46 months ago
I love my HomePod. It would have sold better if people cared about sound quality and not being data-raped by competing products.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Will Co Avatar
46 months ago
The original HomePod and the Mini would do much better if Siri was more useful. It’s embarrassing how bad Siri can be sometimes. But parsing aside, make her more useful and crucially, more open.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
urbanslaughter1997 Avatar
46 months ago
When will Apple realize? It's not about improving sound quality. It's about improving Siri!
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PinkyMacGodess Avatar
46 months ago
Seems a little late for this, don't it?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yadmonkey Avatar
46 months ago

I'm sorry but I disagree, my echo's have way better sound from them than my homepod mini ever has.
I said HomePod, not Mini. Also covered the Echo under the "data-rape" part of my post.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PinkyMacGodess Avatar
46 months ago

I'm sorry but I disagree, my echo's have way better sound from them than my homepod mini ever has.
But that's the mini. The original, the behemoth, the price leader, the sound was/IS... AMAZING!!! But Apple probably realized that they had over-designed the thing, and couldn't get it to work cordless, and just dropped it. It's sad... The first music I heard on the larger HomePod brought tears to my eyes. So amazing...
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)