Apple to release cheaper HomePod in 2020, according to Bloomberg
Apple is allegedly working on a cheaper HomePod which could debut as early as next year, according to Bloomberg who claim the lower-priced model will launch following low sales of the current-generation $299.00 speaker.
Within a report shared today, Bloomberg authors Mark Gurman and Debby Wu claim Apple will introduce a lower-scale model which will feature two tweeters, down from seven in the current HomePod. An estimated price for the new model wasn’t shared, but previous reports have claimed Apple may launch a speaker priced around $150-$200 to compete with the Amazon Echo and Google Home.
HomePod was announced in 2017, with the official release of the speaker delayed until early 2018, launching at first in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, followed by Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Mexico, China, and Hong Kong, with the speaker going on sale tomorrow in Japan and Taiwan.
Apple has long been rumored to have seen poor sales from HomePod. The product was given a price reduction of around 15% months after it launched, and multiple sources have claimed a lower-cost version of the Siri-enabled speaker is on the cards.