Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

5 Products Discontinued by Apple in 2021

macintoshmac said:
I never got to hear the speaker myself, so from what I gather, it seems that there was a market for that speaker for the sound quality it offered, only that Apple thought to charge astronomically for it. If it was priced right, it did not need discontinuing, that's my point. :)
Click to expand...

The real point is if Apple can't achieve at least a reasonable 38% gross profit margin on any product it sells, it will eventually be discontinued. That's just the way business works.
 
I think a HomePod pro and Max max be coming. Hopefully. $200 and $400 or something to split the difference with the old one.

As for the iMac Pro it’s the one Mac I regret never buying as I didn’t think the larger iMac would go without redesign from 2012-2022, and I held onto my 2012 for too long. At the moment I’m using the M1 Mac mini until the larger M1 machines are released.
 
zedsdead said:
I think a HomePod pro and Max max be coming. Hopefully. $200 and $400 or something to split the difference with the old one.

As for the iMac Pro it’s the one Mac I regret never buying as I didn’t think the larger iMac would go without redesign from 2012-2022, and I held onto my 2012 for too long. At the moment I’m using the M1 Mac mini until the larger M1 machines are released.
Click to expand...

I hope so too.

It will be a matter of not skimping on the adaptive acoustic equalization and beamformed audio that made the original HomePod great, AND, being able to maintain required profit margins with a price consumers will embrace.
 
  • Like
Reactions: I7guy
loby said:
Ran out an bought them once I heard they were discontinued. I planned on eventually getting them, but it quickened my purchased.

Glad I did…works great with Mac Pro 2013. The keyboard feel is the best Apple keyboard in my opinion. Have the other two smaller versions (silver). Has keys that work well with Final Cut too.
Click to expand...
Same! But I didn't buy the keyboard... I only wanted the Space Gray Magic Trackpad. And I actually sold my Space Gray Magic Mouse to switch over to the Trackpad. I use it for the iPad and its way better navigating iPadOS with a trackpad.
 
If there was one product I would like to see return it's the Airport Express for feeding legacy audio products. Equivalents are few on the ground and often either not as good (Belkin) or pricey (Bluesound).
 
  • Like
Reactions: loby, Groking and gank41
I'm still appalled at how quality of a speaker the HomePod was, and at just how terrible the interface to that speaker was. Even with perfect WiFi and articulate speech, you had constant problems playing what you wanted either through Siri commands or through a phone. They literally had a $500-caliber speaker, that they crippled with software and couldn't sell for $350.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EntropyQ3
I'd like to see a new HomePod that you can stream hi res lossess audio to. I think the original HomePod had a 24bit/48kHz DAC. The new version should have a DAC capable of decoding up to 24bit/192kHz PCM audio. Priced competitively with the Echo Studio and Sonos One.
 
ActionableMango said:
I honestly think they would have doubled sales if they had just added any kind of industry standard connection method. Literally just any one. Optical. HDMI. RCA. Bluetooth. 1/8" stereo plug.
Click to expand...
But they just stick to their “Wireless everything” “vision” that suffers everything wireless stuff suffers plus buggy software.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EntropyQ3
I'm predicting they will drop the VR/AV headset due to overpricing it.

The whole point of this is getting the hardware cheap enough, with a service good enough to get mass adoption.
And this is where (It's shocking for me to say this) I think Meta with their £299 type headsets are going down the right path.
Sure, in many many MANY years time, you may well get mass market to pay £1000 type prices for headsets if these become their new mobile phone replacements.
But if you don't get a base established you are not going to get enough momentum.....

Be interesting to see, that's for sure. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Shirasaki
I've got 3 OG HomePods, and they're great.

This was a marketing failure, not a product failure. Apple couldn't keep people from comparing it to a dirt-cheap Alexa speaker, which (a) blows past the great sound quality and (b) highlights the limitations of Siri's privacy model compared to Alexa's knows-you-all-too-well data-mining model.

If you wanted a *really* good AirPlay speaker and HomeKit hub, it's a terrific product and it's no surprise that it's keeping its price up on eBay. I hope Apple comes up with a reasonable replacement.
 
  • Like
Reactions: George Dawes and gank41
Pricing of original HomePod was high. Looking forward to the replacement of the bigger iMac next year. Also wish Apple would allow coloured Magic keyboard and mouse to be purchased separately.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️
bergert said:
My old SONY STR-DA90 Surround amp cost $1500, a Denon replacement (with AirPlay) over $1000. Add $300 for a pair JBL speakers.

In comparison, two HomePod's ($700) are down right cheap, and the sound is better. Especially the bass is great. Heck, replacing the huge Amp and all those cables with the small aTV puck my living room even looks better.

In case one breaks, I got a used HP from eBay, paid full price (330).
Click to expand...
I actually just was able to hunt my third HomePod here, a department store still had a new unit discounted, so I just ordered.

They are awesome speakers, and I think the price is quite fair for its quality.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tubular
I still think we see the return of a regular HomePod at some point. Having a "mini" version implies that there's a non-mini model, which there currently isn't. It's really baffling.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Groking
I wish they’d stuck with the OG HomePod: the hardware is brilliant, they just need to work on the software (and drop the price). I’ve got three of them, and they still astonish me with their sound (and I’ve got a very expensive hi-fi system ;0)
 
  • Like
Reactions: George Dawes and Websnapx2
Websnapx2 said:
Something would need to be released for it to be discontinued. Besides, every company works on things that never end up coming out — they obviously shouldn't have pre-announced it — but it was never an actual product.
Click to expand...
I agree. Apple was working on it indeed. I hope one day we get to see the actual product in the real world.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Websnapx2
loby said:
Ran out an bought them once I heard they were discontinued. I planned on eventually getting them, but it quickened my purchased.

Glad I did…works great with Mac Pro 2013. The keyboard feel is the best Apple keyboard in my opinion. Have the other two smaller versions (silver). Has keys that work well with Final Cut too.
Click to expand...
What are you talking about? They're exactly the same as the silver/white versions only a different colour.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back