Apple Stops Selling Headphones and Speakers From Third-Party Companies Ahead of Rumored Smaller HomePod and AirPods Studio Launch

[MacRumors]

Apple is no longer selling headphones and wireless speakers from companies like Sonos, Bose, and Logitech, as it prepares to launch a new, lower-cost HomePod and AirPods Studio headphones.

According to checks performed by Bloomberg, Apple removed headphones and speakers from Bose, speakers from Logitech's Ultimate Ears brand, and Sonos speakers from its online Apple Store at the end of September. Searching for these products, which were previously sold online and in retail stores, brings up no results.

Employees at Apple retail locations have also allegedly been asked to pull third-party audio products from shelves over the course of the last few days. Retail stores and the online store continue to offer Beats-branded headphones and speakers alongside Apple's AirPods and HomePod.

Apple has made similar moves in the past, eliminating stock of fitness trackers ahead of the launch Apple Watch. Apple told Bloomberg that it regularly makes changes to the products that it offers as new third-party accessories are released and the needs of customers change.

Rumors indicate Apple is working on several new audio products, including a smaller, lower-cost HomePod and high-end over-ear Apple-branded headphones that could be called "AirPods Studio," to be sold alongside the AirPods and AirPods Pro.

Both of these new products are expected to launch before the end of the year, and the removal of the third-party audio products from the online store suggests we could be seeing Apple's new audio devices soon, perhaps as soon as the iPhone-centric October event that's rumored to be in the works.

Current rumors indicate that Apple has an event planned for October 13, and if that's the case, we could see an Apple announcement as soon as tomorrow.

Article Link: Apple Stops Selling Headphones and Speakers From Third-Party Companies Ahead of Rumored Smaller HomePod and AirPods Studio Launch

 

[farewelwilliams]

HomePod is a great device.

 

[FlyGuyDEN]

HomePod is a great device.

HomePod is a great device as long as you're not interacting with Siri.

 

[farewelwilliams]

HomePod is a great device as long as you're not interacting with Siri.

I've had no problems with Siri via HomePod.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Depending on the price, I would be interested in a mini HomePod.

 

[FHoff]

I've had no problems with Siri via HomePod.

I’ll second that.

 

[iFan]

Looking forward to the event next week!

 

[Corsig]

Please be true. I really want one

on a side note I don’t get the Siri hate. I’ve had little issues getting answers or requests done.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Watch the new homepod be $249.99

 

[jz0309]

interesting, looking forward to see the price points ...

 

[JM]

Most exciting part of this article was: "we could see an Apple announcement as soon as tomorrow." 😄

 

[CrysisDeu]

I am hoping for homepod software and firmware updates if new homepods are coming out. The current software is a mess

 

[a.jfred]

I just wish there was a way to link HomePods up to an actual stereo system. I'm really wanting to get an actual record player, but really don't want yet another set of speakers (and I really don't have a place to put them).

 

[Realityck]

Apple removed headphones and speakers from Bose, speakers from Logitech's Ultimate Ears brand, and Sonos speakers from its online Apple Store

Come on Apple why can't we have comparisons to other vendors products in the store?

 

[The_Martini_Cat]

The main thing I have noticed in recent Homepod updates is now when I say "Hey Siri, can you play Giant Steps by John Coltrane," instead of beginning at the beginning of track 1, Siri says "Okay, let's hear Giant Steps by John Coltrane," and then there is a ten-second pause and it starts about ten seconds in. When you say "Siri, can you play this track from the start," it no longer begins at the beginning. So ... Apple Music has a bit of regression testing backlog to catch up with, or whatever you call it when they break something that used to work perfectly. Oooo! The other speaker just came in! Fuhhhhhhhhh.

 

[McKodiak]

Apple is removing competing products from it's stores? Don't they have to allow competing products to have prominent floorspace, window advertising, and Apple Genius recommendations all at a 0% fee to the competitor?

 

[MBPnoob]

100% interested in a HomePod mini.

I have Google minis in each room, but subscribe to Apple Music for the HomePod. So we have to have YouTube music for the minis.

It’s far out of budget to put a HomePod in each room at ~$200, when google literally gives their minis away, but I’d be willing to pay $100 or so for each HomePod mini.

 

[melgross]

I don’t like it when they do that. There was a lot of annoyance at Amazon when they removed certain Apple products when they came out with their own. This is the same thing.

These days, where Apple is being assaulted for monopolistic actions, this just doesn’t look good.

 

[jarman92]

Come on Apple why can't we have comparisons to other vendors products in the store?

Consumers still have choice, just not at the Apple Store. It's a store for Apple's products...why would they sell products that compete with theirs? Should they also sell Microsoft and Dell PCs? Google phones? Samsung tablets?

 

[McScooby]

HomePod is a great device.

Unless you’re setting one up for the 1st time & you could curse it every which way & want to launch it out the nearest window. It’s the most un-Apple like experience I’ve had with any of their products. Each time i tell myself it’ll be different next time & each time I curse it like the first. I’ve done 4 so far & it certainly doesn’t get any better.

 

[Realityck]

Consumers still have choice, just not at the Apple Store. It's a store for Apple's products...why would they sell products that compete with theirs? Should they also sell Microsoft and Dell PCs? Google phones? Samsung tablets?

The Apple store use to be the place you could find all kinds of Mac accessories products including what Apple sold. No one in the store ever came across with the attitude that only Apple products would be sold there.

 

[McScooby]

Consumers still have choice, just not at the Apple Store. It's a store for Apple's products...why would they sell products that compete with theirs? Should they also sell Microsoft and Dell PCs? Google phones? Samsung tablets?

Yeah, that’d take courage!🤣

 

[Daedalus65]

Hopefully with two, you will be able to use them as *stereo* speakers for your Mac. I ended up having to move my pair to the Apple TV where I could benefit from the desired functionality.

 

[MacinMan]

I've considered the HomePod a few times. My main hesitation, and why I went with the competition is really not wanting to be locked into the Apple ecosystem. I like Apple, but the way I use products today compared to say 20 years ago, or even longer. is I don't want to be locked into one company's services and products. I also don't want a lot of physical different products around the apartment to do the variety of stuff, and work with the variety of third party products that just one or two third party products can do.

I do use Siri occasionally on my phone, or iPad. Never on the Mac. I've been trying the free trial of Apple Music. I would consider a HomePod for that, but Alexa has an official Apple Music Skill from Apple, and I haven't had any problems integrating that into the rest of the skills and services I use through the Amazon platform. I also have a couple of Google Homes, and I still prefer amazon even over those. So, I'd probably buy the HomePod, play with it for about a week, and then not use it again after that. At least not enough to make the cost worth it, whatever it may be.

 

[jcshas]

Wondering if this is a temporary move. I seem to recall Apple has done this in the past.