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          Apple Discontinues Original HomePod, Focuses on HomePod mini

   Adam Engst

   After four years, Apple has discontinued the original [1]HomePod and
   will focus its efforts on the [2]HomePod mini (see '[3]Apple Introduces
   $99 HomePod mini,' 13 October 2020). The company provided a statement
   to [4]Matthew Panzarino of TechCrunch, saying:

     HomePod mini has been a hit since its debut last fall, offering
     customers amazing sound, an intelligent assistant, and smart home
     control all for just $99. We are focusing our efforts on HomePod
     mini. We are discontinuing the original HomePod, it will continue to
     be available while supplies last through the Apple Online Store,
     Apple Retail Stores, and Apple Authorized Resellers. Apple will
     provide HomePod customers with software updates and service and
     support through Apple Care.

   Although the HomePod was a tremendous feat of engineering and delivered
   excellent sound, it wasn't price-competitive with smart speakers from
   Amazon and Google at either its original price of $349 or the $299 to
   which Apple later dropped it (see '[5]Beyond Music: Comparing the
   HomePod to Amazon Echo and Google Home,' 15 March 2018). It was often
   on sale for $199, and when TidBITS managing editor Josh Centers bought
   one at that price, it had been on the shelf so long that it was several
   iOS versions behind.

   Price really does seem to have been what dragged down HomePod sales,
   given that the $99 HomePod mini has reportedly been selling well. For
   that $99, the HomePod mini compares extremely well with its larger
   sibling. It boasts surprisingly good audio for its size and nearly all
   the features of the HomePod, including support for stereo pairs and the
   capability to act as a HomeKit hub. The HomePod mini may even do better
   at handing off audio, thanks to its U1 Ultra Wideband chip.

   The main advantages the HomePod has over the HomePod mini are:
     * Better sound, based on its larger, more capable audio components
     * Spatial awareness, which enables the HomePod to adjust its audio to
       match the characteristics of the room
     * A 'home theater with Apple TV 4K' feature that relies on the
       HomePod's spatial awareness to add an immersive home theater
       experience

   It's easy to say that Apple overpriced the HomePod. However, it's
   probably more fair to say that Apple overengineered it and thus had to
   charge a premium price to account for both the initial investment and
   the manufacturing costs. That plays into the narrative of Apple
   charging too much in certain product categories, such as with the Apple
   TV, whose $149 and $179 price points are notably higher than competing
   streaming media products from Amazon, Google, and Roku.

   However, such a narrative falls down in other seemingly similar
   categories. Both the AirPods and AirPods Pro have been huge hits,
   despite steep $159 and $249 prices and ever-increasing competitors.
   Plus, the new AirPods Max headphones, which retail for an eye-watering
   $549'hundreds of dollars more than comparable products'appear to be
   selling well, if shipping delays are anything to go by (see '[6]Apple's
   AirPods Max Headphones Are Pricey but Good,' 15 March 2021).

   We've enjoyed using our HomePods immensely, and it seems likely that
   Apple will ensure that they're useful for years to come. It may be sad
   to see the HomePod be discontinued, but it's better that Apple
   acknowledge the reality of a slow-selling product and focus on the more
   compelling HomePod mini.

References

   Visible links
   1. https://www.apple.com/homepod/
   2. https://www.apple.com/homepod-mini/
   3. https://tidbits.com/2020/10/13/apple-introduces-99-homepod-mini/
   4. https://techcrunch.com/2021/03/12/apple-discontinues-original-homepod-will-focus-on-mini/
   5. https://tidbits.com/2018/03/15/beyond-music-comparing-the-homepod-to-amazon-echo-and-google-home/
   6. https://tidbits.com/2021/03/15/apples-airpods-max-headphones-are-pricey-but-good/

   Hidden links:
   7. https://tidbits.com/wp/../uploads/2018/03/HomePod.jpg
   8. https://tidbits.com/wp/../uploads/2020/10/HomePod-mini-nearby.jpg

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