Apple Discontinues Full-Sized HomePod to Focus on HomePod Mini

[hagar]

A 300 dollar speaker locked into Apple Music failed? Who saw that coming.

I think it’s obvious Apple has zero interest in conquering the living room. I’ve been carefully expanding my smart home by making sure everything is HomeKit compatible but why should I bother any longer?

With the HomePod now dead it’s over. They were never released in my country but bought two anyway. No way I’m expanding with mini’s now.

Guess Apple will let other companies take over the Smart Home. Good to know.

 

[James Godfrey]

Anyone waiting for an updated HomePod I personally wouldn’t hold your breath at this point.

We probably won’t see it for a good few years yet, as apple know they will have to make a refresh launch price cheaper ($250 max.) and likely are unable to just yet (otherwise we would have just seen another price drop on the current HomePod).

I think we are more likely to see the mini refreshed (which will probably be called HomePod) in the next year or so, then a few years later a HomePod max will launch.

 

[Htsi]

Sad, might pick one more up when it goes on sale. Mini is no there close to the original when it comes to sound

 

[Jamie0003]

I don’t understand this, I wanted one more but was waiting for it to get updated with thread support, then I’d have one in every main room of my house. This is massively disappointing. Sure I don’t use them very often to listen to music or whatever but I like consistency.

What about the home theatre mode they just released? It doesn’t work on the mini, and a lot of people use this

 

[arcadelt]

...where is the 2021 version of an Airport Express to connect to other speakers?

You couldn’t connect to “other speakers” with a HomePod, so just buy a Sonos One.

 

[arcadelt]

Apple never even put the HomePod on sale in New Zealand, so it's not surprising they didn't sell many here. The HomePod Mini isn't for sale here either (see screenshot). No reply from Tim Cook when I wrote and asked why. My guess is some part of the tax code here would have been more irksome to deal with than the gain from selling it.

Do you want some?

 

[ouimetnick]

As far as I know, Apple only had one initial order of these. A bunch from Inventec initially and a bunch from Foxconn. Everyone that has bought a HomePod recently that has posted to the HomePod subreddit reports an early 2018 manufacture date. I’m pretty sure everything is new old stock at this point. I haven't seen anything newer than an early 2018 manufacturing date. Looks like production was from late 2017- early 2018 and that was it. One big order and that's all she wrote.

A product selling so poorly that it's been sitting on the shelf for a little over 3 years (36 months) Apple's marketing team really screwed this up. Feel bad for those hardware engineers that made a great product only to have Apple's software engineering team, feature team and marketing team let them down.

I still might snag one more (or several if they go on sale at BestBuy) and sell a few out of warranty units.

 

[vipergts2207]

Playing with fire is exactly right. And why? Because a product only makes a 20% margin instead of a 40% margin? Out of some sophomoric idea that they only want to make a handful of products?

The reality of being the biggest tech maker in earth has changed things for them, whether they like it or not. They can’t just abandon people who’ve invested in their ecosystem, and severely limit their options because they want to go on pretending that they are a small, lean, scrappy, underdog of the company. Not just because I don’t like it when they do that. But because if they continue to create more and more latent dissatisfaction within a user base that has spent a lot of money investing in their products, then when people do start leaving (like, say, when smart phone category matures) it will happen in waves that occur so quickly, they won’t be able to react fast enough.

So many loyal iPhone and Mac users I know have Alexa speakers all over their homes, and get their music “free” with their Prime memberships. As Alexa keeps getting better and better, she is eventually going to start replacing smart phones, and even Google search, for a lot of people. And suddenly, the phone at the center of Apple’s dominance will stop being the golden goose, and their goose could be cooked.

I’m highly doubtful on most of what you said here. First, nobody is being abandoned. They’ll likely continue to actively support HomePods for at least another three years. And even after that, it’s highly unlikely Apple will decide to just brick them. Second, the smartphone sector is already mature. Almost everyone has one and has for years now. That’s why peak smartphone sales have already passed. Third, I have trouble understanding how a voice assistant is going to replace a smartphone. Folks are going to browse the Internet or answer emails on a smart speaker? They going to take it to work with them or to the doctor’s office to use in the waiting room. Smartphones and smart speakers are not at all in competition with one another.

 

[EntropyQ3]

It targeted English speaking countries, and didn't even release in most of Europe for instance.
The pretentious price (even though it arguably was worth it) is a non-issue if it isn't even for sale.

 

[DaPhatty]

Surprised to see so many people genuinely disappointed by this outcome. HomePod was never a good value proposition and Apple did nothing of note to improve that value for the consumer. (A $50 price drop clearly didn’t have an impact.)

I’ve always liked the idea of HomePod but the price was simply too high. I now own two HomePod minis and couldn’t be happier. The HomePod really was doomed to fail because of the price. The release of HomePod mini was the proverbial nail in the coffin. Anyone who didn’t see this coming really should have take off those rose colored glasses long ago.

 

[vipergts2207]

I think it has to do with another thing, Apple winding down production of the A8 chip. Once the next Apple TV releases, Apple TV HD will most likely be put out to pasture.

I think for a bigger sized HomePod, Apple would need to swing for the fences, it cannot be just a one trick pony that plays music well, and it does indeed play music well, but it needs to do more than just that.

What I want to see with a full sized "HomePod Max" is to be able to scale from a single speaker that plays music to a full 7.2.4 Dolby Atmos setup and beyond.

I'd be thrilled if I could build up a system with 6 full size HomePods to serve as my satellites, plus a HomePod Soundbar serving as the center channel plus doing the Atmos ceiling reflection speakers, and then if one day I decide I want to just go with the soundbar, then the full sized HomePods could be reallocated to stereo pairs elsewhere. That flexibility would be essential to having a great audio experience. The next gen apple TV can easily serve as a home theatre receiver by using a usb-c port that can connect to a HDMI breakout dongle to accept inputs from other devices like the xbox, ps5, etc.

The current HomePod is terrific, but it's just far too limiting in what it can do. I tried the Atmos setup with my apple TV 4K, cannot compete with my Bose Lifestyle 600 system. I'd imagine a new full sized HomePod running the A14 chip could have many many many many years ahead to do some incredible things. The A8 chip was probably Apple's worst ever smartphone chip. Way too underpowered compared to its successors.

That’s laughably clunky and unApple-like. Apple also rarely concerns themselves with playing with others.

 

[arcadelt]

And Google is barely useful as a smart home hub.

Whaaaaatt?

 

[Rob_2811]

Not surprising. Too expensive, too limited and too late to the market.

Apple simply shouldn't play in certain product categories if they are going to insist on taking 30% + margin on everything they make.

The Apple TV is similar, too limited, too expensive and doomed to failiure. Compete on price or get out of the market.

 

[darthbane2k]

Sad news. I love the HomePod but hate the Sonos ecosystem. It seems Sonos is the only way now and if price was a concern with HomePod, things are about to get worse with Sonos.
all Apple had to do was price that badboy at £199.

 

[Saludos]

For those disheartened by the discontinuation of the big HomePod, I'm thinking that this is just step one of a wider plan for the HomePod brand as a whole.

Here's my two cents:

For Apple, the HomePod mini serves as a 'reset' of the HomePod brand.

They're probably looking at the lacklustre performance (by Apple standards that is) of the original HomePod, as great as a product it likely was, and realising they made a few mistakes when it came to marketing it. Therefore I reckon HomePod mini serves as a step back and a fresh start.

Let's face it, most consumers just didn't want to spend that amount of money on an Apple smart speaker when, at that time, Apple had never ventured into the smart-speaker market before. Amazon and Google had pipped them to the post with far more accessible products, and Apple most likely hoped their brand power and sound quality would pull them through. Sadly, it doesn't look like it did.

IMO Apple should have released the HomePod mini first, as the 'regular' HomePod, and then the larger HomePod later on (probably marketed as a 'pro' or 'max' model). They most likely realise this now.

Think of it this way:

Let's say, for example, Apple released the AirPods Max in 2016 as opposed to the 'regular' version we got. People would scoff and say there's not a chance in hell they'd pay that much for a pair of bluetooth headphones.

Apple didn't do this, however. As far as AirPods were concerned they were very smart: release the entry level model first, make it great, make people fall in love with it and want more. Then give them more. Give them the Pro, give them the Max, and they'll lap it up because by that time the AirPods brand will have enough momentum going that people won't mind spending over $500 on a pair of headphones. They won't just be any old headphones after all. They'll be 'AirPods' and that matters hell of a lot.

If the HomePod mini really is as big of a hit as they say it is, expect them to release a few more revisions of it, making it more popular as they go along. Then, like the AirPods, expect to see 'Pro' or 'Max' models, effectively filling the void left by the discontinuation of the big HomePod we've had up till now. I reckon these hypothetical 'Pro' models will end up being far more successful then, because they'll have a strong level of customer loyalty with the HomePod mini, and a lot of momentum to push them forward (like with the AirPods).

EDIT: The more I think of this, the more I think of myself as a suitable example to illustrate my point above. I never had an original HomePod - my first HomePod was the mini. I never even entertained the thought of getting a HomePod, and that's despite being deep in the Apple ecosystem for over ten years. The price was just too high for something I wasn't sure I was going to use to it's full potential.

When the HomePod mini was announced, the £99 price tag was just right. It was cheap enough for me to 'dip my toe in' so to speak. Once I got the HomePod mini, I loved it that much that I had every intention of getting the big HomePod - a product I'd previously written off suddenly came into the centre of my radar.

I was waiting for the HomePod to get refreshed first, knowing the original was getting long in the tooth. We know now that's not gonna happen, but if Apple later announce a 'HomePod Pro' or 'Max' I'll be right on it. And none of that would have been the case if not for the mini.

I'm sure the above scenario will be similar for a lot of consumers.

I totally agree. I think (and hope) that in the next Apple event they’ll introduce Homepod mini worldwide

 

[darthbane2k]

I’m not surprised, as I’ve never known anyone outside of MR and myself to own a HomePod, but disappointed because it was a great sounding speaker. Hopefully I can pick up another one on discount.

My plan too but continued support is what worries me

 

[Teckarim]

Apple has discontinued the standard HomePod to focus exclusively on the HomePod mini, reports TechCrunch. First introduced four years ago, Apple's larger HomePod has never sold well because of its high price tag.

Apple hoped that the HomePod's high-quality sound would give it an edge over competing products, but sales of the HomePod have always been lackluster with so many more affordable options on the market. Apple has been selling the HomePod for $299, but it was originally priced at $350. The HomePod mini is available for $99.

The HomePod mini offers all of the features of the HomePod in a smaller and less expensive package. Many reviews praised the HomePod mini for its sound quality relative to its size, and while it won't quite match the sound available from the HomePod, it features the same Siri integration, Apple Music support, and HomeKit controls.

In a statement, Apple said that the HomePod will continue to be available while supplies last through the Apple Online Store and Apple retail stores.On Thursday, many tech sites noticed that the full-sized space gray HomePod was out of stock in the United States, but it was believed to be just a stock shortage. As it turns out, it was because Apple no longer plans to sell the HomePod.

The space gray HomePod can likely be purchased from third-party retailers, but it is no longer available from Apple, while the HomePod in white continues to be available for purchase as of right now.


Article Link: Apple Discontinues Full-Sized HomePod to Focus on HomePod Mini

This is so sad. Reb

Apple has discontinued the standard HomePod to focus exclusively on the HomePod mini, reports TechCrunch. First introduced four years ago, Apple's larger HomePod has never sold well because of its high price tag.

Apple hoped that the HomePod's high-quality sound would give it an edge over competing products, but sales of the HomePod have always been lackluster with so many more affordable options on the market. Apple has been selling the HomePod for $299, but it was originally priced at $350. The HomePod mini is available for $99.

The HomePod mini offers all of the features of the HomePod in a smaller and less expensive package. Many reviews praised the HomePod mini for its sound quality relative to its size, and while it won't quite match the sound available from the HomePod, it features the same Siri integration, Apple Music support, and HomeKit controls.

In a statement, Apple said that the HomePod will continue to be available while supplies last through the Apple Online Store and Apple retail stores.On Thursday, many tech sites noticed that the full-sized space gray HomePod was out of stock in the United States, but it was believed to be just a stock shortage. As it turns out, it was because Apple no longer plans to sell the HomePod.

The space gray HomePod can likely be purchased from third-party retailers, but it is no longer available from Apple, while the HomePod in white continues to be available for purchase as of right now.


Article Link: Apple Discontinues Full-Sized HomePod to Focus on HomePod Mini

This is very sad. I’ll always have a soft spot for this technological feat. I’ve rebuilt 3, it was fun learning the insides.

Hope for better! Want wireless charger on the top at least

 

[femike]

It simply didn't sell. It wasn't a good product, overpriced and lacked features.
It sounded good, but so do many other speakers available for alot less that are more practical.

 

[diamornte]

Apple loves to screw over it’s own customers they just sold these to. They are in the business of retired fail-ware & e-waste.

 

[arcadelt]

Why?

Simple - because I am heavily invested in Sonos. Currently my tv plays nicely with that setup, and I do not want to replace my Sonos sound bar. In fact, don’t most people already have a solution to poor TV sound quality, and doesn’t that mean the market is already full?

 

[darthbane2k]

Without a dedicated smart speaker (I’m sorry, mini isnt a serious option as it doesn’t fill a room) they are practically giving the smart home away to Amazon/Alexa.

 

[Rob_2811]

To those claiming this doesn't look good for AppleTV.... why?

Because Apple have made TV+ plus available on Roku, Fire TV and most of the common smart TV platforms and are starting to make Airplay available on third party hardware too.

Where is the market for a streaming box that is priced at four or five times what you can get a competing device with the same fuctionality for? Only Apple die hards will care and that won't be enough for Apple to bother manufacturing them.

 

[vipergts2207]

Not surprising. Too expensive, too limited and too late to the market.

Apple simply shouldn't play in certain product categories if they are going to insist on taking 30% + margin on everything they make.

The Apple TV is similar, too limited, too expensive and doomed to failiure. Compete on price or get out of the market.

The Apple TV has been around since before the iPhone, so I’m not sure how you can say it’s doomed to failure lol. And Apple has never been about competing on price. If they don’t think they can make a good product below a certain price, the don’t do it. Look at the cheapest iPhone versus the cheapest Android. Same for smart watches. Yes Apple has affordable versions of many of their products, but they don’t chase the lowest common denominator at the cost of product quality.

 

[darthbane2k]

So the market deemed HomePod too expensive and yet the only alternative in terms of like for like sound quality is a £500 sonos play 5 😡

 

[Kiro]

Thing is: only the big one got dolby atmos/ theatre mode. and just got stereo mode for big sur if i recall correctly.
and i thought the mini would trigger sales of the big one?
BUT it also has only the a8 and no u1 ultrawideband chip and no thread support which both will be a major part in apples home strategy.

so my guess: new modell (homepod “midi“ - yeah they won‘t call it that way - but it fits between mini and the big one) for 199$/€ with new Ax chip, U1, thread, dolby/ht mode. And finally 5.1/7.1 support: mixing the homepods together for a sourround system. Not only stereo. With self calibration due to the mics implemented etc. Would be awesome.

also a homekit router/repeater/mesh access point would be nice in it. And maybe a magsafe charger on top. But that would kill the 199 pricetag. So just a dream 😅