Production of Apple’s original HomePod speaker stops. Apple does not state why it came to this decision. It does say it focuses entirely on HomePod Mini. Just like recently with the iMac Pro, Apple’s web store states that the original version is for sale while supplies last.
Apple HomePod speaker
The company does not indicate whether Apple is phasing out the HomePod because, for example, a new variant is being worked on. The only thing it has confirmed is on TechCrunch that HomePod production is indeed coming to an end. It was discovered by the tech site on the company’s US web store. The speaker is not available in the Netherlands and Belgium. Other European countries do, so you can have the device come via an importer from France or Belgium.
HomePod is one smart speaker from Apple which appeared in February 2018. With the launch, Apple mainly wanted to ensure that there was a speaker with an integration with Siri, whereby the sound quality was optimal. That is why it has become a fairly extensive speaker, with seven tweeters combined with a four-inch woofer. The HomePod Mini was launched in October 2020. HomePod costs 329 euros and Mini 99 euros. Remarkably, the Mini in the United States is also $ 99, while the original variant is priced at $ 299.
No surprise
Incidentally, it does not come completely out of the blue that production stops. The analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who is more often right, said in December that this would happen. He believes that the demand for HomePod, as well as the mini version, is not what Apple had hoped for. People seem more likely to reach for other smart speakers or use Siri in conjunction with their iPhone or iPad. Whether that is completely correct and Apple indeed will not come with a new HomePod, only time will tell for the time being.
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