Apple’s HomePod was, in all respects, an incredible device when it came to acoustic performance, but its $ 349 price, not to mention a debut that was delayed until early 2018, prevented it from really making an impact on the smart speaker market. So while HomePod looked incredible due to some of the magic of Apple’s audio engineering, it ended up failing to get a significant share of market share from rivals like Amazon and Google
And so, about three years after its launch, Apple over the weekend discontinued HomePod. TechCrunch broke the news on Friday and reports that Apple will still manufacture the HomePod mini and iterate on the device in the future.
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While Apple’s decision here may be a blow to audiophiles looking for a capable device that won’t break the bank, the simple reality is that most consumers are not willing to pay a premium for a superior sounding smart speaker. when you can get a perfectly usable Amazon Echo for $ 99. Historically, Apple has been able to command an award for devices later on to the market, focusing on a first-rate user experience. HomePod, however, simply failed to resonate with consumers in a meaningful way.
By the way, Apple would eventually reduce the price of the HomePod to $ 299 in April 2019, but the change was seen by many as too little late.
Another factor that contributed to the demise of HomePod is that Siri simply could not compete with the range of features that could be found on similar smart speakers from Google and Amazon. Another complaint that potential buyers had is that HomePod was not compatible with Spotify, the most popular music streaming service on the planet. Apple naturally wanted tight integration with Apple Music, but its effort to keep Spotify out of the playing field has undoubtedly cost it some sales.
Apple will continue to sell existing HomePods that it already has in stock, but no new devices will be manufactured going forward.
Commenting on the matter, Apple provided the following statement for TechCrunch:
The HomePod mini has been a hit since its debut last fall, offering customers incredible sound, a smart assistant and smart home control, all for just $ 99. We are focusing our efforts on the HomePod mini. We are discontinuing the original HomePod; it will continue to be available as long as supplies last at the Apple Online Store, Apple retail stores, and Apple authorized resellers. Apple will provide HomePod customers with software updates, services and support through Apple Care.
Apple’s HomePod mini has many of the same shortcomings as its larger predecessor, but the device’s $ 99 price tag makes it much easier to ignore those shortcomings. And while the sound quality of the HomePod mini is not as good as that of the original HomePod, the fact is that most consumers are not audiophiles and are unlikely to notice much of a difference.
Apple never released specific sales figures for HomePod, but we have to imagine that sales were incredibly low for it to sell a product that supposedly took more than five years to develop.
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A longtime Mac user and Apple enthusiast, Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the technology industry in general for over 6 years. His writings were published in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK and, more recently, TUAW. When not writing and analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys watching Improv shows in Chicago, playing football and cultivating new addictions to TV shows, the most recent examples being The Walking Dead and Broad City.