The HomePod was meant to be discontinued on March 12. However, 9to5 Mac picked up on reports of the device’s ongoing availability.
Apple announced that the original HomePod would be discontinued on March 12, as it shifted its focus to the HomePod mini. Here’s what the company said back then: 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 the mini model. 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 customers with software updates and service and support through Apple Care. Over these past two months, evidence has emerged on just how poorly Apple’s smart speaker sold. The YouTuber Michael Kukielka, also known as DetroitBORG, bought at least two HomePods after Apple discontinued the product, and by his surprise, the models he bought were from the launch stock three years ago.
Check It Out: Two Months After it Was discontinued, HomePod Models Remain Available to Purchase
I really like the old HomePod.
I guess simple economics dictated that the HomePod be folded, but I really like the 3 I currently have. Space Grey.
Picked up a couple more White ones from Other World Computing just now because I would like to make a couple guest bedrooms have HomePod pairs so I can make use of the Apple TV 4K’s and the surround feature using only 2 Homepods. Will also keep one in the kitchen for morning music or radio shows. They really do sound sensational this way if you aren’t really into a full Audiophile level experience.
For my main TV viewing, my old Dynaudio Surround system with Velodyne Sub run off an ATI amp with an old Lexicon DC-1 pre-amp really can’t be beat for audiophile level sound. It just sounds better than most movie theaters even 25 years after I bought it.
I think it is kind of a sick joke to release the Atmos feature right as the speakers are discontinued. Kind of lame really. It didn’t really give current users a full chance to test out the feature. To me this would be a huge selling point for these speakers for a simple but punchy surround system on the sly.
Shame that it really never got out of the starting gate. Seems like Apple very well could have sold more of these speakers if they had given this feature more time to play out. Will never know now.
I like mine and it fills the living room with sound, but it is a bit heavy. There is also a Mini in the bedroom and too sounds pretty good, but it is in a smaller room. I am not enough of an audiophile to discern the difference in quality between the 2 models, nor between them and any other similar speaker; I could probably tell the difference between them and a low end speaker.
As to how many have been sold. I assume that us old school Apple Fans bought them more than the new kids on the block.
Do I sometimes cuss out Siri? Yes, I do. Do I trust Siri? Yes, I do. Do I trust Alexa? No I don’t.