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

[Rogifan]

Probably for the same reason you won't find Chevrolet automobiles for sale in Ford dealerships. Just a guess...

Except Apple does sell 3rd party products in their stores. I get why they might remove them from the physical stores if they need the space to showcase their own stuff but online? That I don’t get.

And that's Apple's choice, based on their judgment.

Of course anything Apple does is the company’s choice. Doesn’t mean one can’t wonder why.

 

[jbpiv3]

useless to me unless Apple fixes the device limit for Apple Music.

I own two homepods. My wife and I’s iPhones, and two iPads.

would love to add the mini HomePods (heck I wanted two more regular ones...) but won’t be happening unless the 6 device limit is raised or count homepods in one house as one device.

 

[69Mustang]

And that's Apple's choice, based on their judgment.

I agree. But it does make the argument you've been making kinda moot and wrong. And regarding the car analogy, kinda wrong too.

 

[Rogifan]

As long as the Homepods are restricted to streaming only they're pretty useless from my perspective. Absolutely need a line input.

I wish they would make a sound bar. I have a HomePod but would never use it in place of my sound bar with subwoofer.

 

[citysnaps]

Except Apple does sell 3rd party products in their stores. I get why they might remove them from the physical stores if they need the space to showcase their own stuff but online? That I don’t get.


Of course anything Apple does is the company’s choice. Doesn’t mean one can’t wonder why.

Of course Apple can. But understanding why they don't really isn't that difficult.

Just because Apple sells iPhone cases from different manufacturers doesn't mean they can't choose to not sell products competing with HomePod.

 

[citysnaps]

I agree. But it does make the argument you've been making kinda moot and wrong. And regarding the car analogy, kinda wrong too.

No, it doesn't. Apple can be selective about competing products it chooses to sell. It's not a matter of everything or nothing.

 

[69Mustang]

Of course Apple can. But understanding why they don't really isn't that difficult.

Just because Apple sells iPhone cases from different manufacturers doesn't mean they can't choose to not sell products competing with HomePod.

But they did sell products that competed with the HomePod, again, for years. Just like they sell products that compete with more tan iPhone cases. They even keep Logitech in the family. Can't sell Logitech's speaker, but can definitely sell their iPad keyboard cases and their Crayons for iPads. Two products that compete directly with Apple's offering. They've decided to to give their new products a bigger advantage. That's nothing like Bose not selling Sonos or Chevy not selling Ford products. That's Apple making a conscious decision to unlevel ←not a real word- the playing field.

 

[satchmo]

These new Home Pods need to be $100 or less to be competitive.I’m not sure if the focus will be on sound and music like the original, or more of a smart speaker Like Google and Amazon products.

Regardless, I think they need to be $100 or less to gain traction. The customers are price sensitive in this space.

 

[citysnaps]

But they did sell products that competed with the HomePod, again, for years. Just like they sell products that compete with more tan iPhone cases. They even keep Logitech in the family. Can't sell Logitech's speaker, but can definitely sell their iPad keyboard cases and their Crayons for iPads. Two products that compete directly with Apple's offering. They've decided to to give their new products a bigger advantage. That's nothing like Bose not selling Sonos or Chevy not selling Ford products. That's Apple making a conscious decision to unlevel ←not a real word- the playing field.

Actually I think it is. Most competing products Apple sells compliments or accessorizes in some fashion a major device; ie iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc; with accessories such as cables, cases, and external speakers being great examples.

I suspect Apple's grand plan is to substantially elevate HomePod to major product status, likely with tiered products; such as a soundbar someday. Thus, it makes no sense to also sell Bose, Sonos, etc.

 

[69Mustang]

No, it doesn't. Apple can be selective about competing products it chooses to sell. It's not a matter of everything or nothing.

Yeah, but you were trying to make that exact comparison by bringing up Chevrolet not selling Fords - an all or nothing proposition. No one is arguing whether or not Apple can be selective in what they choose to sell. I, in fact, argued early on it was their right to do what they wanted to do. The automobile justifications you offered -all or nothing propositions- aren't valid in this instance. It's not comparable.

 

[EdT]

If you want inferior audio products that integrate poorly with all your best-in-class Apple devices, you have many retailers willing to sell them to you.

I haven’t looked since 6-8 months after the HomePod was released but at that time it wasn’t a high end audio device. Better than a $30 Alexa but not the high end audiophile device Apple implied (but never outright said) it was. I've heard you can get stereo now but 5.1 surround sound or True HD? 7.1? DTX? As far as I know the HomePod can’t do any of those. Sonos does a 5.1 simulation (sound bar is the front/right/left/center with 2 rear speakers) which isn’t great but it was better than what Apple offered a while back and may still be better now. I don’t know if the HomePod is at CD bitrate quality yet either. HomePod is really just convenience at a high price. If that’s what you want go ahead and buy it, but it’s not top of the line performance wise.

 

[citysnaps]

Yeah, but you were trying to make that exact comparison by bringing up Chevrolet not selling Fords - an all or nothing proposition. No one is arguing whether or not Apple can be selective in what they choose to sell. I, in fact, argued early on it was their right to do what they wanted to do. The automobile justifications you offered -all or nothing propositions- aren't valid in this instance. It's not comparable.

Again, not true. Ford not selling Chevrolet automobiles is the same as Apple not selling Dell computers. Those are major products, not accessories. I suppose if Chevy made floor mats for Fords that were really nice, Ford could stock them.

Maybe it's time to give it a rest if you really don't understand what I'm saying?

 

[mazz0]

Do any rumours suggest they’re going to stop making new Beats headphones?

These new Home Pods need to be $100 or less to be competitive.I’m not sure if the focus will be on sound and music like the original, or more of a smart speaker Like Google and Amazon products.

Regardless, I think they need to be $100 or less to gain traction. The customers are price sensitive in this space.

I don’t reckon there’s a chance in heck they’ll be less that $150. Hope I’m wrong, cos I’ll be buying one regardless!

 

[69Mustang]

Again, not true. Ford not selling Chevrolet automobiles is the same as Apple not selling Dell computers.

Maybe it's time to give it a rest if you really don't understand what I'm saying?

It's just a fundamentally flawed analogy. 1. You can buy a Ford at a Chevy dealership easily. They will gladly sell you a pre-owned vehicle from their inventory of viable trade-ins; regardless of brand. Just like you can buy competing products at Apple. That, ironically, is where they are similar. I understand exactly what you're saying. It's just an incorrectly applied analogy. No harm, no foul. But you are right. We should give it a rest.

 

[Jar Jar Abrams]

I’d totally be into a mini homepod, love my 5x homepod max, I’d rather they kept the max size and incorporated a battery, theyre already rather “mini” These wired ones are great and replaced some sonos speakers I have, I just couldn’t do beats pill and UE megaboom etc none of them sound very good, we take one homepod with us on getaways and just use it as a Bluetooth (airplay)type speaker with “connect everywhere” enabled good for hotels etc,no WiFi access required in hotel etc, airplay from your devices the way you would Bluetooth style....it’s small and weighty that low end bass sure is something.
would love a mini, the homepod is like this best kept secret that people haven’t really discovered on mass yet like other Apple gear it’s still soooo underrated.
I own a Sonos Move which is nice and portable great sonos sound and design it’s good to take into the garden etc but it’s too big to take away from home....
Bring on the HP Mini. Don’t think about honepods solely as smart speakers (that’s the job of those cheap budgeting sounding amazon objects, think of homepods first as ghetto blasters. Homepod Matters

 

[Jar Jar Abrams]

[QUOTE="Jar Jar Abrams, post:

 

[alexandr]

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?

window advertising?..

 

[rjp1]

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

How about basic functionality - like an EQ?

 

[rjp1]

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.

I think they mean as their needs change. They need customers to buy their products and not third party 😁

 

[citysnaps]

It's just a fundamentally flawed analogy. 1. You can buy a Ford at a Chevy dealership easily. They will gladly sell you a pre-owned vehicle from their inventory of viable trade-ins; regardless of brand. Just like you can buy competing products at Apple. That, ironically, is where they are similar. I understand exactly what you're saying. It's just an incorrectly applied analogy. No harm, no foul. But you are right. We should give it a rest.

Not a flawed analogy. Of course you can buy a used Ford at a Chevy dealership. Selling your Ford trade-in helps foster the sale of new Chevy vehicles, which is why dealerships exist, to sell new cars being manufactured which keeps car manufacturers in business. And...to service your new Chevy vehicle, in and out of warranty - a major revenue generator for dealerships.

 

[dumastudetto]

I think they mean as their needs change. They need customers to buy their products and not third party 😁

Apple curates the finest products that they feel will best suit the amazing ecosystem we all share. Apple has always been in the experiences business.

 

[Colonel Blimp]

It ain't about physical space. They removed them from the online store as well. It's just a business decision.

That’s a fair point, and if I’d read the article more attentively before posting, I’d have remembered that.

I’ve updated my post accordingly. Thanks for the correction!

 

[farewelwilliams]

bot

what?

 

[farewelwilliams]

Not in my experience. I bought one to operate as my all-purpose "speaker", and was planning on adding a second for stereo. However, the sound was always out of synch with video by up to about a second. I did some Googling, and that is apparently normal. So I sold it. So much for my planned Apple "audio solution". No doubt people will say it's not designed to be able to do that. So that's me out. Great device!

I never had any sync issues. Were you using a third party app? I use HomePod to watch AT&T TV Now on my Apple TV every single day and no issues so far. I did have out of sync issues during the early days of DIRECTV NOW, but that was a software issue as it was happening even when playing audio from my TV speakers.

 

[okieoutwest]

This is an interesting development that might actually point to an updated or new model HomePod. None of the supply chain based rumors have changed since early 2018. If true, I’m looking for a sub $120 price point. As someone earlier in the thread showed, it’s possible to consistently get deals on the original HomePod for as low as $180-$200.

While I really want a HomePod mini, with the latest Nest Home at $100, I’m unsure as to how much of an Apple tax on these Apple could really get. I could see it going the other way too: I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a similar form factor to the original at a $250 price point and updated internals, not actually a smaller one for less money.