HomePod vs. Alexa. This is the question that many users ask themselves when buying a smart speaker, albeit erroneously. Alexa, not the name of a speaker, but the name of the assistant found inside the Amazon Echo speakers.
HomePod is the name of Apple's speaker, while Crab It's the wizard inside. Once we are clear about the concepts, the time has come to show a comparison HomePod vs Alexa. good of HomePod vs. Amazon Echo Dot.
La range of Amazon Echo devices It is made up of different models:
- Show 15
- Show 8
- Show 5
- Echo
- Dot
- More
- Studio
- Spot
- Flex
- Sub
- Input
The HomePod (at the time of publishing this article), only available in one version: HomePod mini. Apple launched its first smart speaker with the HomePod in 2018, a speaker that stopped selling in 2020 shortly before the launch of the home pod mini.
If we look at the features of the HomePod mini with Amazon's range of Echo speakers, the model that is most similar in terms of size and performance It's the Echo Dot.
The motivations of users when buying a smart speaker or another varies depending, to a large extent, on the ecosystem of products you use.
If you use Apple products, obviously the best option is to bet on the HomePod mini, while if you use android there is no better option than Google speakers.
Amazon Echo speakers they are positioned halfway between both. Amazon has known how to perfectly work its ecosystem of smart speakers, making it an excellent option to consider, regardless of the ecosystem you use.
Comparison HomePod mini vs Echo Dot
[table]
,HomePod Mini, Echo Dot
Voice assistant, Siri, Alexa
technology,Full-range driver and dual passive radiators, 1.6W 15-inch front-facing speaker
Microphones,4,4
colors,white – Yellow – Orange – Blue – Black, Anthracite – Blue – White
Size,843×979mm ,100x100x89mm
Weight :,345 grams,328 grams
airplay, Yes – AirPlay 2, No
Audio output,No, Yes 3.5mm jack
HomeKit,But
Touch controls, Yes Yes
Connectivity, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4 – 5 GHz – Bluetooth 5.0 ,Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4 – 5 GHz – Bluetooth
Services,Apple Music -Apple Podcast – iTunes – Pandora – iHeart,Amazon Music – Spotify – Amazon Podcast – Apple Music -deezer – Audible
Price, 99.99 euros,$59.99
[/ Table]
Integrated
Both the HomePod and the Echo Dot have a very similar spherical design, with practically the same weight and dimensions, with Apple's HomePod mini being slightly smaller.
HomePod mini is available in a wide variety of colors, ideal for colorful decorations. The Echo Dot is available in the traditional dark and white colors of Amazon's range of speakers.
Functionality
Both devices they allow us to interact with their corresponding assistant: Siri and Alexa. Everyone knows that despite the fact that Siri is one of the oldest assistants on the market, in almost 12 years that it has been on the market it has barely evolved, being today the worst assistant of all those available.
Although Alexa is not available on mobile devices, it has managed to evolve and has become the best assistant on the market, above the one offered by Google.
With both the HomePod and the Amazon Echo, we can manage all smart devices of our home, but with limitations. While HomePod is only capable of managing devices compatible with HomeKit, Alexa is able to manage devices compatible with both Google and Alexa.
One of the most interesting features that smart speakers offer us is the intercom. Thanks to this function, we can send audio messages to other smart speakers of our home.
Connectivity
Virtually the entire Amazon Echo range includes a headphone jack port, which allows us to use it connected to a stereo to play our favorite music or podcast, a functionality that is not available on the HomePod mini or on the HomePod
When it's time to listen to music, HomePod includes Apple Music (service under subscription), in addition, it is also compatible with Pandora, Deezer, iHeart Radio and TuneIn. Unfortunately, Spotify is not yet available on the HomePod mini to play our favorite music using voice commands.
But, being compatible with AirPlay, we can use the Spotify application on our iPhone or iPad to send the content to the HomePod.
The Amazon speaker allows us play our favorite music from Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and others through voice commands. In terms of sound quality, the Apple model offers better sound quality, although the Dot is not far behind.
For the users that we have wooden ear, we are practically not going to notice the difference.
Which is better?
Both the quality and the connectivity offered by both devices are similar. If you like connect it to a stereo, the Amazon model is the best option for its 3,5 mm jack output.
If you are looking for the best integration with Apple devices, the HomePod mini is the device you're looking for as well as if the connected devices are compatible with HomeKit.
However, as I mentioned above, the Echo range adapts perfectly to any ecosystem without major problems, not so with devices that are only compatible with HomeKit.
Fortunately, the number of smart devices that are coming to the market in recent years are compatible with both HomeKit, as well as Amazon Alexa and the Google platform.
Price
Apple's HomePod mini is priced at 99,99 euros. Sople has never been known for lowering the price of its products, even though they have been on the market for a long time.
Sometimes when you launch a new generation, you keep the old model on sale lowering its price slightly. Sadly, it never does with the iPhone, iPad and Mac range.
The solution to find a somewhat cheaper HomePod mini would go through look it up on amazon. And I say it would happen, because despite the fact that Apple has its own store on Amazon, it does not sell the HomePod. Use this store to get rid of stock from older generation iPhones, iPads and Macs as well as sell new products.
The Amazon speaker has a regular price of $59,99. However, from time to time, usually reduce its price by 20 or 30 euros. If we take advantage of any of these offers, we can get 3 Echo Dot for the price of a HomePod mini.