Two month ago , Apple decide todiscontinue the original HomePod . And yet , it appears the ware is still available in the Apple Store — and if you buy one , you might actually get sent a HomePod from the original launch stock .
Typically when a Cartesian product is break , you may discover monolithic discount , and if the product is remotely good that leftover inventory can disappear somewhat cursorily . For instance , according to9to5 Mac , theiMac Pro was discontinuedaround the same time as the HomePod and leftover stock vanished before the calendar month was over . The space greyness HomePod was sold out before Apple made the conclusion to nix the machine , but the white version is still for sale at $ 299 .
HomePod defenders might shrug and say , so what if it ’s been two month ? Well , YouTuber Michael Kukielka bought two HomePods after they ’d been give up and both were ostensibly from Apple ’s launching parentage . As in , the HomePods were manufactured for the equipment ’s launching in 2018 and sit in boxes ever since . Kukielka postedproofthat one of two HomePods he ’d bought was create on Dec. 19 , 2017 , while theotherhad been made on Feb. 3 , 2018 . The latter HomePod come out of the box running Io 11.2.5 microcode , which was in public released in January 2018 . He also hadanother pictureof the HomePod ’s cud , embrace in ashen dust from plastic breakage down after sitting in a boxwood for over three years .
Photo: Justin Sullivan (Getty Images)
Look , we know the HomePoddidn’t sell well , but this is next degree .
The HomePod was one of Apple ’s more public flop . While many reviewers praised its well-grounded quality , the initial $ 349 price ticket was a lot look at most other smart speakers at that time were much more affordable and came witha digital assistant that did n’t suck up . Not helping matters was the fact that you were confined to Apple Music . If you wanted third - party music cyclosis , you ’d have to rely on AirPlay , a feature film that was readily available on other in high spirits - tone smart speakers like the Sonos One . About a twelvemonth after launching , Applepermanently slashed the priceof the HomePod from $ 349 to $ 299 . And if there ’s one affair about Apple , permanent Mary Leontyne Price cutting for an alive production are beyond rare — they’re nearly unheard of .
It ’s even harder to advocate the HomePod now that the more affordable HomePod Mini is here . Not only has the original not been push aside further , but also some ownerscouldn’t access Apple Musicvia Siri after updating to iOS 14.5 . Given that Apple Music is only one of a smattering of streaming service the twist natively supports , this is n’t bully . Meanwhile , the Mini is a third of the Leontyne Price , sounds impressive for its size , can do most of what the original can , and is competitively price to rival chic speakers . It ’s sort of a no - brainer .
While we do n’t make love the exact number , it ’s also get to the HomePod Mini is sell much good than its predecessor did . The devicesold out on day one , and Apple itself sustain in a statement tomultipleoutletsthat the Mini “ has been a strike since its entry last drop . ” To rub salt in the wound , market enquiry business firm OmdiaestimatedApple sold 2.4 million smart talker in the U.S. in Q1 of 2021 , with 91 % of those sales being the Mini . If the residuum were the original HomePod , that would shake out to rough 216,000 units sell . And yet , we ’re still here two months after with remnant launching stock . Yeowch .
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