HomePod shipping estimates pushed back to February 13th in UK
Apple flipped the switch on HomePod pre-orders over a week ago, and since doing so the device has remained available for launch day delivery in all three launch countries until today. Shipping estimates for Apple’s new Siri controlled smart speaker have now pushed back to February 13th in the United Kingdom.
Last week a handful of customers saw their order statuses change to “Preparing for Shipment”, and payment methods are now beginning to be charged for those choosing delivery and in-store pickup.
HomePod has remained widely available since pre-orders started, hinting at low consumer demand. While it’s unclear if Apple simply had enough stock to for-fill orders and keep up with demand until now, polls and social media responses indicate HomePod’s steep price tag and lateness to the market will deter many potential customers.
HomePod was first announced last June at Apple’s annual World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC), and was given the release date of December 2017 which was later pushed back to “Early 2018”, a move believed to of been made due to a delayed approval from the US Federal Communications Commission. The speaker is available now from Apple.com for customers in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, with the company confirming the device will additionally launch in to France and Germany ‘in the spring’.