HomePod Should Launch 'Soon' as Inventec Begins Shipments to Apple

[MacRumors]

HomePod supplier Inventec has begun shipping the smart speaker to Apple, with an initial shipment "of about 1 million units," according to industry sources speaking with the Taipei Times. Apple is said to have sent out a shipment notice to companies in the HomePod supply chain in early January, and now that the first supplier has answered the notice one source stated that HomePod should be launching "soon."

As the first batch of HomePods makes its way to Apple, a release date for the delayed smart speaker has yet to be confirmed by the company, although it did state HomePod will debut in "early 2018." Traditionally, Apple's definition of "early" is January through April.

Inventec's revenue from the HomePod is expected to be "limited" this quarter due to the low quantity initial shipment. This falls in line with Inventec's own statement from last August, when it warned that supplies for HomePod might be limited at launch, similar to most Apple product launches. Following the launch, HomePod shipments for all of 2018 are expected to grow to between 10 million and 12 million units.

"The Taiwanese company has begun HomePod shipments. However, revenue contribution from the product to Inventec is expected to be limited this quarter, as the initial shipment is not large," a source in HomePod's supply chain told the Taipei Times by telephone on condition of anonymity.

Industry sources said that Inventec and second HomePod supplier Foxconn will fulfill an even half of these orders. Furthermore, the HomePod's delay was said to be caused by "fine-tuning of software and hardware integration."

When it does launch, HomePod will be Apple's first entry into the smart speaker market, currently dominated by Amazon Echo and Google Home. During its unveiling of the product, Apple said that HomePod is more music-focused than its rivals with high-quality sound and microphone technology, spatial awareness, touch controls, and more, all powered by an A8 chip.

Article Link: HomePod Should Launch 'Soon' as Inventec Begins Shipments to Apple

 

[Jefe's MacAir]

When will sales begin?

 

[ugahairydawgs]

When will sales begin?

"Soon"

 

[DigitalCK]

Too late.

 

[ccrunner_tj]

I must say, when this was announced at WWDC, I was sort of meh about it. Thought it was overpriced compared to the Echo. But since then I've really gotten excited about it, since I've started listening to music a lot more. When they delayed it, I was actually disappointed, and now the hype is building.

 

[Rocketman]

“The Taiwanese company has begun HomePod shipments. However, revenue contribution from the product to Inventec is expected to be limited this quarter, as the initial shipment is not large,” a source in HomePod’s supply chain told the Taipei Times by telephone on condition of anonymity.

1 million units shipped initially not large? I consider it large. The fact it does not saturate the known demand and supply chain aside, one million of anything is officially large.

How many units did Apple sell in its first 5 years in business? How many iPhones in the first year? Perspective.

 

[magicschoolbus]

I feel like Apple missed the boat on this one.

 

[Jetfire]

I think Apple really missed the boat here. Amazon and Google really grew their ecosystems this Christmas. Not just their own speakers but intergration in other devices.

 

[jav6454]

I don't see the usefulness in an HomePod. I'd just get a decent Soundbar

 

[Dave245]

Too late.

It's never too late, as Apple often say "it's not about being first"

 

[nStyle]

Is this a case of "too much too late"? $350 for an inferior assistant.

 

[Baymowe335]

Too late.

Yes, a couple months will make all the difference and Apple customers aren't loyal at all. People typically switch to Android and other competitors at the first sign of a delay, software or hardware problem. Apple is doomed because of this 2 month delay.

 

[BMcCoy]

It's never too late, as Apple often say "it's not about being first"

Which is why I remain excited to see - or rather hear - what this device can do.

Yes, Apple have a hill to climb, to gain anything like the momentum Amazon and Google have with their smart speaker devices, but history tells us that Apple have the ability to bring something (late) to the table that has a quality and experience that is very competitive, or even superior.

Interesting to watch this launch and see what happens...

 

[wigby]

1 million units shipped initially not large? I consider it large. The fact it does not saturate the known demand and supply chain aside, one million of anything is officially large.

How many units did Apple sell in its first 5 years in business? How many iPhones in the first year? Perspective.

Tech journalists are just coming off CES 2018 with show floors flooded with cheap Alexas and Google Home. Comparing HomePod to those cheap devices makes no sense but it always happens with Apple. Now if someone would compare Google's Home Max to Apple's HomePod in a year's time, that would be useful but Google will never release those numbers and perhaps neither will Apple.

 

[Baymowe335]

Is this a case of "too much too late"? $350 for an inferior assistant.

*Making bold statements before it's even been tested*

 

[Ted13]

Is this a case of "too much too late"? $350 for an inferior assistant.

Inferior? Its competitors sound better? We all have our priorities and having heard Amazon's version, I don’t think they are in the same ballpark

 

[maflynn]

The design looks nice, the speaker technology is probably the best out on the market but what's stopping me is the price. What I mean, is that I can get a more capable voice assistant, in a decent speaker setup for 80 dollars from Amazon, or spend 350 dollars be locked into Apple Music and deal with Siri's short comings.

 

[djcerla]

Too late.

I feel like Apple missed the boat on this one.

I think Apple really missed the boat here. Amazon and Google really grew their ecosystems this Christmas.

Is this a case of "too much too late"?

"If Apple won't release a watch in two months, they'll be over"

Apple released a watch one year later, and sure enough, they now dominate the market.

Smart speakers, and in general AI front ends, are just at their baby steps.

 

[Marco Klobas]

I'll get one. I already own a "serious" stereo Hi-Fi. I'm curious to try the HomePod for casual listening and Siri. It isn't cheap. I'm confident that the sound quality will be good, though. Hope I'm not wrong.

 

[Baymowe335]

In all seriousness, does anyone actually think the Echo or Google Home are amazing products and APPLE has no chance of disrupting this market?

The Echo Dot is literally a piece of trash. Have you seen it in person?

 

[Eggtastic]

I will have to see how it sounds. I heard the new echo sounded bad, but apparently it was fixed with a software update (which I find very weird). Right now, I am considering a speaker with some sort of LED light show (like the JBL) that also sounds good.

 

[Wilburx3]

I use apple products everywhere, MBPr, iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, and I have to say that Siri is terrible. Does not pick up "hey siri" 50% of the time. When the devices do pick up "hey siri" they miss the command another 20%. When all that lines up it takes forever and the response hits it mark about 75% of the time. Using it with HomeKit should be seamless but it isn't. The voice commands and response are nothing even close normal conversation.

 

[newyorksole]

HomePod
AirPower
iMessages in iCloud

Any day now...

 

[mookc1]

This speaker is too expensive for what it does. I'll stick with my Sonos and see what they do, if anything, for the Apple Ecosystem. No compelling reason to buy HomePod.

 

[lsutigerfan1976]

Is this a case of "too much too late"? $350 for an inferior assistant.

But it has an Apple logo on it! lol

Personally I would pass. But if they had like an echo dot version. I’d pick that up.