Apple discounts HomePod to $149 for employees
Apple is running a new promotion for employees which sees the price of HomePod cut in half to $149.50, down from $299.
While special promotions such as this aren’t completely unheard of, it could be the case that Apple is trying to lower its inventory of the Siri smart-speaker ahead of the launch of an updated model, which may be showcased online at WWDC in June.
It’s no secret that HomePod isn’t a big seller for Apple. Shortly after the speaker launched in February 2018, priced at $349, Apple cut the price down to $299 in April 2019 after reports claiming Apple sold just 3 million HomePod units in the 5 months after launch, capturing 6 percent of the smart speaker market in the United States.
HomePod still remains largely unavailable around the world. In total, the speaker is sold in 12 countries and regions including, the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Mexico, China, and Hong Kong, in addition to Japan and Taiwan.
Reports had suggested Apple is working on an updated HomePod alongside a smaller, more affordable version to compete with the Amazon Echo and Google Home which could launch in early 2020.
The employee special promotion could be an indication that a new model is ready to launch, but first Apple wants to clear the units which are sat in its warehouses ready to be shipped. At this point, it is unclear if the special discount will be expanded to customers too.
In late 2018, Apple started a new campaign which saw Apple Music subscribers receive emails with $50.00 off coupons for HomePod.