HomePod still widely available for launch delivery, hinting at low demand
Apple kicked off pre-orders for HomePod, the powerful wireless speaker with built-in Siri controls last Friday, and days after the device went live on Apple.com it appears that the speaker is still widely available for launch day delivery, hinting at low consumer demand.
HomePod pre-orders are limited to Apple’s three initial launch countries, the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, and it appears that HomePod may not be the runaway success the company was hoping for.
While it’s unclear if Apple simply has enough stock to for-fill orders and keep up with demand, polls and social media responses indicate HomePod’s steep price tag and lateness to the market will deter many potential customers. – HomePod delivers and in-stock pick-ups start on Friday February 9th.
What is HomePod?
HomePod is a new wireless speaker with built-in Siri controls by Apple. Customers will be able to speak to the device and use voice commands to perform actions such as “Send a text to Deanna”, “Set a timer for 10 minutes”, “Play songs by Flume”, and more. – The speaker features an Apple-designed 4-inch woofer and unique array of seven beamforming tweeters to provide deep base and pure high frequency acoustics.
What will it do?
The device has two main purposes… One, a home speaker that Apple hopes will “reinvent home music” and 2, an intelligent home assistant to help perform tasks such as playing music, reading the news, sending and receiving iMessages, setting reminders, providing answers to general questions, checking the weather and more.
How much will it cost?
HomePod is priced at $349 in the United States, £319 in the United Kingdom and A$499 in Australia. – An additional $39 AppleCare+ warranty service can be purchased additionally for an extra year of AppleCare coverage.