New HomePod Facing Significant Delay in Certain Markets as Pre-Orders Continue

[MacRumors]

The new second-generation HomePod appears to have a significant backlog of pre-orders, delaying shipping dates by up to seven weeks in certain markets for Apple's latest smart speaker.

Last week, Apple announced a new HomePod with a slightly updated design, an S7 chip for faster performance and "more advanced" computational audio, a larger backlit touch surface, and other new features. Pre-orders for the new HomePod have been open for less than a week since its announcement on Tuesday, January 18.

In the United States, the midnight HomePod is estimated to ship in three to four weeks, much later than the HomePod's launch date of Friday, February 3. The white HomePod, however, is listed as having no delay. In the United Kingdom, the midnight HomePod faces a five- to six-week delay in shipping. In other markets, such as Germany, both colors of the new HomePod face more than a month delay.

The updated HomePod comes approximately two years after Apple discontinued the original smart speaker. The original HomePod was not the market success Apple was hoping for due to several factors, including the speaker's $349 price at launch and limited features. Apple's new HomePod is its latest attempt to grow its presence in the smart home market, which Google and Amazon have dominated for several years.

Article Link: New HomePod Facing Significant Delay in Certain Markets as Pre-Orders Continue

 

[PeteBurgh]

What a strange history HomePods have had. As John Gruber reminded us, the original one was announced in June 2017, but didn’t ship until the following February. To say nothing of the whole thing where they got discontinued, yet to continue to receive significant updates (like support for use with TVs). All very puzzling!

 

[yellow8]

I can easily imagine that many people were expecting this product.

 

[firewire9000]

Maybe this time Apple was a bit more conservative and did produce a low volume first run and see how the product works with the consumers.

 

[beanbaguk]

The interesting trend happening now is the increase in value of 1st gen HomePods. I've seen them increase by about 50eur already. Presumably this is down to the poorer audio specs. However, only time will tell, and I'm eagerly looking forward to the detailed audio reviews.

 

[tonie walker]

…typical marketing strategy 😝. Also, Apple is releasing this Homepod to more countries compared to gen1. Ordered 2 and midnight seems the way to go.

 

[stocklen]

interesting this one.

Sure theres the tinfoil hat perspective... i.e Apple making less as they dont have the confidence it will sell... or theres some kind of marketing-related artificial constraint to bolster the 'i want' factor - as they more they are delayed the more someone will regret not ordering it and the more they *want* one.

The reality is probably somewhere midway - yes they simply didnt make enough and probably mis-judged the demand...
However it does go to show that regardless of a lot of the pundits attitude of "whats the point its still expensive and people wont pay that"... this is untrue as 2 years off the market forcing people to learn the "joys" of multi room music (when it works, apple!) a lot are hungry for the sonic upgrade that of course the new model will bring.

 

[User 6502]

I can easily imagine that many people were expecting this product.

I can’t and I doubt they are. They simply have production issues but I simply don’t believe this thing will sell any better than the discontinued twin, that despite its terrible value still was a better deal that the ‘new’ version.

 

[WitchDrAsh2]

I wonder if a lot are going into cinema/tv rooms to be paired with Apple TVs, which might explain why the black ones are under the most pressure?

 

[Ralfi]

Fix Siri first, Apple, then release a new HomePod.

 

[DelayedGratificationGene]

Maybe this time Apple was a bit more conservative and did produce a low volume first run and see how the product works with the consumers.

Or maybe not and demand is just very strong

 

[User 6502]

Or maybe not and demand is just very strong

Very strong demand for the HomePod, a product that already failed in its previous (and better) reincarnation? Unlikely.

 

[chfilm]

Could someone explain to me what it means that the new HomePod has „thread capability“?

 

[stocklen]

Very strong demand for the HomePod, a product that already failed in its previous (and better) reincarnation? Unlikely.

Apple knows what they are doing...
You are ignoring other factors.

Sure, the original 'failed' if you want to see it that way - back then it was competing with a plethora of Amazon and Google lower priced more functional devices and of course it was not going to succeed - even the sound quality was not enough. Im not making excuses for them, it was an ill-judged under-utilised, over-priced device at the time.

Apple then tested the waters with the much lower priced mini, and it began to sell in greater numbers - far outpacing that of the main HomePod.... meanwhile slowly (arguably not that successfully) increasing the siri and multi room capabilities. The bigger HomePod was simply not worth making and selling anymore back then.

Now, absence makes the heart grow fonder... and 2 years later having flooded the market with the cheaper mini... many people will have the appetite to 'upgrade' from the mini to the big HomePod. Especially in the living room where a pair of minis, although sounding much better than they deserve to as a stereo pair, are still not suitable for that bigger room....

In its absence, apple have stoked demand... and that seems to be borne out through this current supply 'shortage'

That said.. the 'shortage' might well just be marketing guff and the harder it is to come by... the more people seems to want it (just ask those youtube goons who marketed the soft drink that keeps selling out!).

 

[MacRazySwe]

The first gen was a commercial failure. Don’t see how this one wouldn’t be, seeing as it’s more or less the same product, years later.

I have to say, this Homepod (to me) is one of the strangest product releases Apple have ever done, since I became a follower back in 2004.

 

[stocklen]

Could someone explain to me what it means that the new HomePod has „thread capability“?

in a nutshell its a thread border router... and that means that other smarthome devices that are thread compatible are able to create their own 'mesh' network and connect to each other instead of relying on a potentially weak wifi signal each device is capable of extending the network.
You need at least one device that is a thread border router in order for thread to function in this way.. and the new HomePod is one.. along with the older HomePod minis and the appleTV.

 

[stocklen]

The first gen was a commercial failure. Don’t see how this one wouldn’t be, seeing as it’s more or less the same product, years later.

I have to say, this Homepod (to me) is one of the strangest product releases Apple have ever done, since I became a follower back in 2004.

its reality not strange.

If you have ever dabbled in whole-house multi-room music it's a real boon.
Its great to have music simultaneously playing in multiple rooms.

Amazon have been doing this for years, so have google, so have sonos...
so apple getting in on the act isnt strange in the slightest. And the fact there are now devices to choose from is only a good thing.

 

[MacRazySwe]

its reality not strange.

If you have ever dabbled in whole-house multi-room music it's a real boon.
Its great to have music simultaneously playing in multiple rooms.

Amazon have been doing this for years, so have google, so have sonos...
so apple getting in on the act isnt strange in the slightest. And the fact there are now devices to choose from is only a good thing.

Well, re-releasing basically the same product years later - that’s just weird. The OG Homepod was released in 2017!

Six years later, I would have expected some kind of innovation to make it more appealing than the first one.

Anyone want a 2017 MBA for the MSRP of a new 2022 M2 MBA with Retina Display? If so, I have one to sell you. 😁

 

[DelayedGratificationGene]

Very strong demand for the HomePod, a product that already failed in its previous (and better) reincarnation? Unlikely.

Maybe and again maybe not sir. I’m thinking Apple knows something that you don’t.

 

[Hastings101]

I know technically with inflation it is "cheaper"... but if Apple wants to compete they are going to have to lower the price. Very few people besides Apple enthusiasts are buying this at $299. Maybe Apple is planning to play the third party discount game and sell it for less in reality.

And as an Apple enthusiast, I really want to buy one just to see what it's like with Apple TV and other devices lol

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

All part of marketing. Weak-sauce update. And downgrade in some ways.

 

[AhRiHmAn]

Still February 3 in France in midnight I guess it doesn’t have same demand over here 😅
I’ve preorder 2 , I like my minis but a bit much power will not hurt

 

[dantracht]

Oh please. They didn’t make enough.

 

[djcerla]

Pent-up demand… many countries never had the chance to buy the OG.

 

[djcerla]

Very strong demand for the HomePod, a product that already failed in its previous (and better) reincarnation? Unlikely.

It “failed” so much that used units prices were higher than retail.

Apple was not ready with Siri in most countries for a product like the OG HomePod, so it never had a proper release. Which is happening now. It’s going to sell reasonably well.

Apple just got started with smart devices.