Four years after its launch, it’s over for the HomePod: Apple has confirmed near TechCrunch that the smart speaker was at the end of its life, and that its intention was now to focus on the HomePod mini. The Apple Store continues to sell the device, « in the limit of the available stock “. In doing so, the HomePod joins the iMac Pro which, since last week, is also on a siding… And also the iPod Hi-Fi, this distant ancestor with an impressive trunk.
« The HomePod mini has been a hit since its launch last fall », Explains Apple. A success largely obtained thanks to a floor price (for Apple) of 99 €. The manufacturer will continue to provide assistance to HomePod users, with software updates and AppleCare support. The large speaker had a complicated start with its high price (349 € in France, then 329 €) despite serious advantages, particularly in terms of audio reproduction, in particular in a stereo pair.
With sales that we imagine quite modest, Apple has given the feeling of no longer really believing in its product, which has yet required five years of development. We can think that a last effort was made last November with tvOS 14.2 which dedicated the merger of Apple TV and HomePod. However, there is no question of abandoning the connected speaker market: with a design much less complex than its big brother, the HomePod mini is the manufacturer’s new weapon to find a place everywhere in the house.
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