HomePod HomePod Availability - Shocking!

[sam2428]

maybe earlier editions of apple watch but i walked into an airport dixons the day after AW3 was released and had a choice of different models

Yes, early editions of the AW...like when they first introduced it. I.E...just like the first edition of the HP. ?? See how the comparison can be made?

There is usually a general excitment and frenzy over a new product release from Apple. And I don’t see that with the HP for valid points mentioned already in this thread. So yes...it is shocking to me, it may not be to everyone.

This is coming from someone who owns virtually every Apple product product line out there (iMac, retina MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple TV). It just makes me wonder if it will have the same outcome as the iPod Hifi....

 

[danny842003]

Yes, early editions of the AW...like when they first introduced it. I.E...just like the first edition of the HP. ?? See how the comparison can be made?

There is usually a general excitment and frenzy over a new product release from Apple. And I don’t see that with the HP for valid points mentioned already in this thread. So yes...it is shocking to me, it may not be to everyone.

This is coming from someone who owns virtually every Apple product product line out there (iMac, retina MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple TV). It just makes me wonder if it will have the same outcome as the iPod Hifi....

I would hazard a guess that the HomePod is getting close to the iPod Hi-Fi’s sale figures already, even if they are lower than Apple would like.

 

[BMcCoy]

Why is it surprising? The reason why those other products sell out is because there is more of a market for items that can be used everyday. While you can surely play the speaker everyday, no one is using is it on a daily basis/routine like they would a phone and a watch.

I use my HomePod every day, and for several hours. A LOT more than I use my phone.

Regarding availability, remember the hardware was on schedule for a December release, but was held back for some reason, thought to be software related. So that provided an extra 6 weeks for more stock to be manufactured. By the time it was released, in just 3 countries, the stock:demand ratio was clearly going to be higher than for some other Apple release, where supply has been heavily constrained in the lead up to a global release date.

 

[ericwn]

I broke down and went to my local Best Buy this week to buy one. Just to try it. And the guy was actually shocked when I said I wanted one. I asked if they had them in stock. And he mentioned that they have not sold hardly any they’ve received. Of course this is just anecdotal. But it caught me by surprised that he said they had hardly sold either color HomePod.

Bestbuy is really not a valid data source in my opinion especially if the information is coming from a sales person. The amount of passionless folks I see in my local one in Toronto speaks volumes, but your location might be better of course.

 

[maflynn]

I forgot how defensive and hostile everyone is in the Macrumors forums....

Perhaps but you created a thread titled "HomePod Availability - Shocking!" How else are people supposed to react when your opening salvo was provokative in nature. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

You seemed to be itching to say that the HP is not successful, people came out to disagree and you take the disagreement as hostility

 

[madeirabhoy]

Yes, early editions of the AW...like when they first introduced it. I.E...just like the first edition of the HP. ?? See how the comparison can be made?

There is usually a general excitment and frenzy over a new product release from Apple. And I don’t see that with the HP for valid points mentioned already in this thread. So yes...it is shocking to me, it may not be to everyone.

This is coming from someone who owns virtually every Apple product product line out there (iMac, retina MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple TV). It just makes me wonder if it will have the same outcome as the iPod Hifi....

You can look at it like that or you can look at it in terms of products released recently which is what I was. I never tried to get an earlier edition.

5e only thing I ever couldn’t buy was AirPods and that was months after release which I found really annoying and I went for something else. Since my something else was beatsx Apple still won out of it.

I do think the delay in release helped Apple and the limited markets. I can’t try and get one as portugal hasn’t got them at all and amazon doesn’t seem to be carrying them.

 

[Brookzy]

I forgot how defensive and hostile everyone is in the Macrumors forums....

In fact..I was not complaining at all about the availability of the HP....simply thought it was interesting and called for some discussion.

Just because it's a different product and a different segment, doesnt mean its not a valid conversation topic. It's still a new product line that Apple released and I do think that the fact that there is plenty of stock shows that it "isn't for everyone".

Do I think it will sell well? Of course I do...but Apple typically is very conservative with initial inventories...specially on new product lines. I doubt they decided that since the internet always complains about no stock they will ramp up and keep delaying the product so everyone can buy at launch. That is just not smart business practice.

My guess is that there might have been extra stock at launch because the delays might have been more related to software which allowed hardware manufacturing to continue for a longer duration.

I really feel for you OP - this thread is symptomatic of everything that is wrong with the MacRumors forums today compared with a few years ago. You made a reasonable and open-ended observation only to be met with unhelpful, defensive, and hostile replies, even by a staff member, which is really sad.

I also applaud you for taking the unhelpful and poorly-rationalised responses and actually responding to the points made - I wouldn't have the energy.

I too was shocked at the level of inventory - I actually made a thread somewhere where I observed that a retailer in the UK had several thousand in stock, which is more than what they receive of iPhones at launches.

For a new product segment, supply does seem plentiful insofar that it is well-stocked in many retailers. I guess this gives credence to the rumours that the delays were software and not hardware as you mention. However some journalists (e.g. Rene Ritchie) have been quite adamant that the delay was nothing to do with Siri (as if they'd been informed this off the record), and this combined with the wood staining situation makes it appear that maybe the hardware wasn't quite so locked-in as rumoured.

In terms of how it is selling - hard to tell because I would wager that compared to a normal Apple release, supply rather than demand is the driving factor of availability. I don't expect HomePod to be particularly successful in this first iteration though given the limited feature set, high price, and niche position in the market.

 

[CPTmom2wp]

1. HomePods typically duplicate a product that most people who care about quality audio already have in their home. There is no urgency to rush out and purchase something that has to be replaced/rethought and prior to it being adequately assessed. While it combines features and ostensibly improves on them, we already have Siri on our phones and speakers in our house. We can "wait and see" or "wait until I'm ready to replace my speakers" or "wait until I can afford it or the price comes down after the next generation is released". The Apple watch and iPhoneX were unique.

2. I strongly suspect that the Supply chain is much more complex for the iPhoneX and iWatch3, e.g., Oled screens, facial recognition,LTE than for the HomePod. That alone would make scarcity of the iWatch and iPhoneX much greater.

 

[bruinsrme]

Bestbuy is really not a valid data source in my opinion especially if the information is coming from a sales person. The amount of passionless folks I see in my local one in Toronto speaks volumes, but your location might be better of course.

I love walking into a store greeted by an emotionless employee with their back turned to me, doesn’t everyone?

 

[Mark Booth]

Poor Apple can't win. Sell out of a product and this forum is filled with whines about lack of availability. Make plenty of product and somebody feels the need to whine that it's a sign of the apocalypse.

Damnit, Apple. If you had made too few HomePods your existence would have been saved!

Mark

 

[turbineseaplane]

Poor Apple can't win. Sell out of a product and this forum is filled with whines about lack of availability. Make plenty of product and somebody feels the need to whine that it's a sign of the apocalypse.

Damnit, Apple. If you had made too few HomePods your existence would have been saved!

Mark

Don't forget the other version of this..

If Apple is in short supply of a product it's a "home run" and they "nailed it" and "classic Apple is amazing, again, of course!"...

But if there's ample stock..."people already have something like this" and "speakers are easy to make" or "Apple, of course, is prepared with ample stock like the amazing company they are"!

See how this works?
Apple can't lose with too many people on this forum usually.

 

[sam2428]

Poor Apple can't win. Sell out of a product and this forum is filled with whines about lack of availability. Make plenty of product and somebody feels the need to whine that it's a sign of the apocalypse.

Damnit, Apple. If you had made too few HomePods your existence would have been saved!

Mark

Don't forget the other version of this..

If Apple is in short supply of a product it's a "home run" and they "nailed it" and "classic Apple is amazing, again, of course!"...

But if there's ample stock..."people already have something like this" and "speakers are easy to make" or "Apple, of course, is prepared with ample stock like the amazing company they are"!

See how this works?
Apple can't lose with too many people on this forum usually.

The two of you obviously don't know what this thread is about and probably haven't even read it or my replies fully.


Back on topic....

One other thing that is interesting to me is that I think this launch also disproves a lot of the people who believe Apple deliberately constrains supply to create more demand on their products. Every iPhone release we see the same threads of people claiming this, but obviously this wasn't the case here. Do I think it adds to the frenzy of trying to get one? Yes... but they could have easily done the same with the HP, but why do it when you have the ability to ship out the product?
[doublepost=1518997246][/doublepost]

Perhaps but you created a thread titled "HomePod Availability - Shocking!" How else are people supposed to react when your opening salvo was provokative in nature. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

You seemed to be itching to say that the HP is not successful, people came out to disagree and you take the disagreement as hostility

There is nothing hostile about disagreement, nor do I expect everyone to agree with anything I believe or say.

However, making comments about me "complaining" or asking me "not sure what your point is" are hostile comments. Specially when there was not a single compliant in my original post.

 

[turbineseaplane]

The two of you obviously don't know what this thread is about and probably haven't even read it or my replies fully.

Sure we do. It was just a small tangent is all.

Actually, I completely agree with what you are saying and yes I've read the entire thread as it's gone along.

 

[Buerkletucson]

I really feel for you OP - this thread is symptomatic of everything that is wrong with the MacRumors forums today compared with a few years ago. You made a reasonable and open-ended observation only to be met with unhelpful, defensive, and hostile replies, even by a staff member, which is really sad.
.

PLEASE.......give me a break.
You shake a Bees nest you get stung.......you do it properly you get honey.
It's all in the presentation.

This forum is pretty helpful and tame compared to many out there.......get a backbone and enjoy.

 

[Endorphine88]

I haven't "waited" for an Apple product to be back in stock in years. Their procurement and supply chain is much more sophisticated now and they're able to anticipate demand and stock their stores accordingly. That being said, the white HomePod is out of stock in all stores around me and I had to order another one I was getting as a present.
It's a great product. Let's not read between the lines unless it's necessary

 

[daijholt]

The HomePod has only been launched in three countries. Your other examples were released in many more countries at launch. This is the difference.

This. 3 launch countries for HomePod vs 24 for iPhone. Plus the delay means more stock than initially expected. I was quite happy to see plentiful stock, it meant I didnt have to scramble to get one before they vanished.

 

[turbineseaplane]

That being said, the white HomePod is out of stock in all stores around me

Where are you?
The website shows as plenty of White available everywhere in PA I can think to input..

Plenty in every single store in the SLC, PDX & SEA area, that latter two of which are tech device hotbeds.

So far I can not even find a place in the US to input where it says there aren't any white HP's...

 

[Endorphine88]

Where are you?
The website shows as plenty of White available everywhere in PA I can think to input..

Plenty in every single store in the SLC, PDX & SEA area, that latter two of which are tech device hotbeds.

So far I can not even find a place in the US to input where it says there aren't any white HP's...

South jersey, three malls i checked yesterday only had the space gray. I got another white one shipped to me and it's being delivered today

 

[turbineseaplane]

South jersey, three malls i checked yesterday only had the space gray. I got another white one shipped to me and it's being delivered today

If you don't want to wait, it would appear they all got restocked..

 

[douglasf13]

Where are you?
The website shows as plenty of White available everywhere in PA I can think to input..

Plenty in every single store in the SLC, PDX & SEA area, that latter two of which are tech device hotbeds.

So far I can not even find a place in the US to input where it says there aren't any white HP's...

I live in the city in Portland, and I ordered my HomePod online. These days, I'm surprised people even go to the stores all that often. I only live 10 minutes away from the store, and I still rarely go.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I live in the city and Portland, and I ordered my HomePod online. These days, I'm surprised people even go to the stores all that often, and I only live 10 minutes away from the store.

What if someone just happens to want one "right now"?

 

[douglasf13]

What if someone just happens to want one "right now"?

Sure, that's the reason to go, but how many people need it right now when shipping is so fast? I spent $8 extra for next day delivery (two day was free.) Good enough for me.

 

[CPTmom2wp]

Sure, that's the reason to go, but how many people need it right now when shipping is so fast? I spent $8 extra for next day delivery (two day was free.) Good enough for me.

I think having things dropped at the front door is preferable to 1.Driving in traffic, 2.Finding, and perhaps paying for, parking,
3. Waiting around in the Store for assistance, 4. Schlepping packages back to the aforementioned parking spot, 5.Driving back home in traffic, and 6. Carrying the packages into the house from the car. Meanwhile, I've wasted at least half a day, wasted money on a sandwich and coffee, and paid 7% tax that isn't charged by an out of state retailer. Shopping online is one of the few times that convenience can be less expensive.....provided you know exactly what you want.

 

[Zune55]

I forgot how defensive and hostile everyone is in the Macrumors forums....

In fact..I was not complaining at all about the availability of the HP....simply thought it was interesting and called for some discussion.

Just because it's a different product and a different segment, doesnt mean its not a valid conversation topic. It's still a new product line that Apple released and I do think that the fact that there is plenty of stock shows that it "isn't for everyone".

Do I think it will sell well? Of course I do...but Apple typically is very conservative with initial inventories...specially on new product lines. I doubt they decided that since the internet always complains about no stock they will ramp up and keep delaying the product so everyone can buy at launch. That is just not smart business practice.

My guess is that there might have been extra stock at launch because the delays might have been more related to software which allowed hardware manufacturing to continue for a longer duration.

I went to apple store & tested it out but didn’t feel like buying it. Not because of price just because these kind of products already in market for many years now. I don’t like apple’s attitude now that they don’t want to release their product before the competition. They want to build better products so delay the release. Even HomePod has released later Siri didn’t got improved.

 

[douglasf13]

I went to apple store & tested it out but didn’t feel like buying it. Not because of price just because these kind of products already in market for many years now. I don’t like apple’s attitude now that they don’t want to release their product before the competition. They want to build better products so delay the release. Even HomePod has released later Siri didn’t got improved.

That's kind of funny, based on your username. Either way, that's how Apple has long operated with many products. They rarely invent products. They streamline and simply, making better products.