dont-compare-apple-homepod-to-amazon-echo

When Apple unveiled the HomePod at WWDC, it was tempting to draw immediate comparisons to the Amazon Echo and Google Home. If anything, Apple is consciously avoiding direct competition with Echo-like speakers -- it's playing up its strong point, audio quality, while downplaying the importance of its AI assistant. The more affordable Echo might be fine for many people so long as the audio quality isn't atrocious. If Amazon or Google gets serious about sound quality in future models, you'd be more justified in making direct comparisons.