-
Apple’s HomePod.
-
There is a lot of engineering going on here.
-
It also came gray in space.
-
It’s a pretty indescribable device, but beautiful.
Apple has stopped production of the expensive HomePod smart speaker that it started shipping in 2018.
The speaker will still be sold until the stock is empty, but the space-gray version is already away from Apple’s online store. Only the white version remains, although you can get the space gray at a third-party retailer.
Regardless of the production change, HomePod owners will receive software updates and support from Apple for an unspecified period of time.
Apple says they plan to focus on the more successful HomePod mini. The HomePod mini costs $ 99 – a third of the price of the HomePod – and offers significantly lower sound quality.
The HomePod mini also does not have the same features as the original HomePod. For example, a few months ago, Apple launched the “home cinema” mode for the HomePod, with optimizations and features designed to make it work as part of a surround sound setup for a home cinema with ‘ n Apple TV 4K streamingbox. It is not available on the HomePod mini.
Apple has given the following statement to TechCrunch to confirm that the HomePod has been discontinued:
HomePod mini has been a hit since its debut last fall, offering customers incredible sound, an intelligent assistant and smart home management for just $ 99. We focus our efforts on HomePod mini. We discontinue the original HomePod, it will still be available while stocks last through the Apple Online Store, Apple Retail Stores and Apple Authorized Retailers. Apple provides HomePod software updates and service and support through Apple Care.
The HomePod was the result of significant investment by Apple; a large team has worked for years to build the most technological speaker, using machine learning and other techniques to optimize the sound quality, based on the space in which the speaker is placed and how many other speakers are synchronized in it. Sonos and other companies have made similar efforts, but the HomePod reviews have suggested that it is at least as good or not better than Sonos’ offerings.
But this was not a good chance for ultra-high-quality smart speakers; For example, Google has also discontinued the competing Google Home Max speaker. As seen in the world of streaming music services and headphones, the evidence is strong that the vast majority of consumers simply do not prioritize superior sound quality, but rather buy cheaper lower quality speakers to take advantage of their convenience and flexibility.
This is the second product range that Apple recently pulled the stick. Just a week ago, it came to light that the iMac Pro was ending production, with Apple indicating the standard 27-inch iMac as an alternative. The iMac Pro has not been substantially updated since its launch, and the usual configurations of the regular iMac have caught up.
Apple is expected to launch a new version of the standard 27-inch iMac next year. Given the relative success of the HomePod mini, more home audio products may also be on the way.
List photo by Jeff Dunn