Apple's new $350 HomePod speaker sounds great — but there are 7 crucial things it can't do (AAPL)

HomePod

Apple's new $350 smart speaker, HomePod, starts shipping February 9.
It has some cool features like "room-sensing technology," the ability to work as a HomeKit hub, and — most importantly — high-quality sound.
But it has several limitations, like the fact that it can only work with iOS devices, and the inability to sync with your calendar.

When Apple's HomePod starts shipping on February 9, it will be able to do a lot of things no other Apple product can currently do.

It will be the best way to listen to Apple Music — if our quick demo was any indication, it will sound amazing. It can tell you more about the artists you like and come up with playlists based on what it thinks you'll enjoy.

It will even be able to map out the room it's in — something Apple calls "room-sensing technology" — to provide a better listening experience.

But there are a few things HomePod can't do, things that other smart speakers on the market can. Did you know, for instance, that you must have an iOS device to set it up?

Here are seven major things Apple's new HomePod can't do:

1. HomePod can't pair with Android phones

In order to set up your new HomePod, you need to have an iOS device. It doesn't necessarily need to be an iPhone — iPads and iPod touches work, too — but it will not work with Android devices whatsoever.

Here are the devices HomePod is compatible with:

iPhone:

iPhone 5s through iPhone X (including iPhone SE)

iPad:

12.9-inch iPad Pro

10.5-inch iPad Pro

9.7-inch iPad Pro

iPad (5th generation)

iPad Air and iPad Air 2

iPad mini 2,3,4

iPod touch:

iPod touch (6th generation)

2. HomePod doesn't recognize different people's voices

While HomePod will answer to anyone's commands, it isn't capable of recognizing individual voices. This means you can't set up user profiles or tailor the device to different members of a household.

3. HomePod can't check your calendar

The version of Siri that lives inside HomePod isn't quite the same as Siri on your iPhone. It can't check your calendar for events or make a new one.

For comparison, both Google Home and Amazon Echo have those skills — and not just for Google Calendar. Even the Echo can sync with your iCloud calendar, so it's a bit strange that that feature isn't available on the HomePod (not yet, at least).

See the rest of the story at Business Insider