I think spatial audio might be the killer feature. They just added an update for the Airpods Pro, and some of the comments/reactions to it sound promising.
Homepods sound amazing in a stereo pair, and Apple just released an update for Dolby Atmos support.
I don’t understand why people like the spatial audio feature. How often do you move your head relative to your iDevice while watching a movie? The field of view is too narrow for it to make any sense.
If you ignore the above then the only trick that’s left is the fake 3D effect; which isn’t novel or even desirable for someone who cares about authentic sound.
One potentially useful feature would be spatial audio on conference call when multiple people talk - you can discern different information sources when they come from different direction. AFAIK that’s how fighter jet helmets work.
> Or how often do you watch movie with headphones?
Probably most people in the world.
I've rarely lived alone and always have roommates 25-35 and I'm amazed how much HNers lose touch when they get older, stop having roommates, live in a house, don't see how other people relax.
Maybe I'm coming off as mean, I don't want to. But also consider the new culture of permanently-worn earbuds. I know headphones used to be a hassle when I was growing up. But now you will notice people who never even remove them all day. So it's not extra leap to watch a movie on their phone with earbuds, something all of my roommates do.
I'm sure there are people who do that, but it's minority. On the go you'll maximum watch 15 minute YouTube while having lunch. Rest is podcasts/music I believe.
At home I prefer my laptop speakers over AirPods just because of comfort - audio quality doesn't overcome the hassle. Laptop speakers generally aren't disturbing flatmates enough.
I use the spatial audio feature on AirPods while watching on an iPad. You move your head slightly more than you might expect for that field of view, and the effect keeps the audio oriented to the characters or action on screen. It feels like you're listening to sound coming from the device instead of in your head. Big movements, like turning your head 90 degrees, or quickly moving to another couch seat, break the immersion.
I assume the same feature on any competing product would feel similar.
Could you please elaborate a bit more or may be just share a link. I was thinking about using 2 HomePods as a sound system for my TV, but figured it was too much to ask.
Homepods sound amazing in a stereo pair, and Apple just released an update for Dolby Atmos support.