Apple allegedly working on smaller, cheaper HomePod to launch later this year
Apple is said to be working on a smaller, more affordable HomePod that will launch later this year.
At the beginning of April, Apple discounted HomePod by around 50 percent for employees in what was believed to be an effort to lower its inventory of the Siri smart-speaker ahead of the launch of the new model discussed in Bloomberg’s report this morning.
In the report, which accompanied details about Apple’s upcoming 5G iPhone models, including that the iPhone 12 Pro will feature iPad Pro-style flat stainless steel edges, sharply rounded corners and flat sides, as well as a slimmer notch, it was said the new speaker will be around half the size of the current HomePod, otherwise retaining the design of the current-generation.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard that Apple was developing a lower-cost Siri speaker to compete with the Amazon Echo and Google Home which are priced significantly cheeper than the current HomePod.
Reports have previously claimed the smaller, cheaper HomePod could be priced from $150.
Today’s report also delves into AirTags, the highly-rumored item trackers that attach to valuables, such as wallets, backpacks, keys, and more, allowing users to track their belongings in the Find My app on iOS, iPadOS and macOS.
Bloomberg suggest the trackers will be sold with a keychain and leather sleeve.