Apple’s new second-generation HomePod appears to have a large backlog of pre-orders, and in some markets, the ship date for Apple’s latest smart speaker has been delayed by seven weeks.
Recently, Apple launched a new HomePod speaker, priced at 2299 yuan.Slightly updated design with S7 chip, faster performance, “more advanced” computing audio, larger backlit touch surface, and other new features. Pre-orders have been open for less than a week since the announcement of the new HomePod second generation.
“HomePod (2nd Gen) is a powerful smart speaker with a beautiful, iconic design that brings users a next-generation acoustic experience. HomePod combines Apple innovations with Siri intelligence to deliver advanced computational audio technology that supports playback Immersive spatial audio tracks for an unprecedented listening experience. HomePod brings convenient new ways to manage everyday tasks and control your smart home, and users can use Siri to create smart home automations, get notified when smoke or carbon monoxide alarms are triggered in their home, or view The temperature and humidity of the room—these can be done hands-free.”
In the U.S., the HomePod in midnight is now estimated to ship in three to four weeks, well after the HomePod’s launch date of Friday, February 3. The white HomePod, however, had no lag. In the U.K., the midnight-colored HomePod faces a five-to-six-week delivery delay. In other markets, such as Germany, both colors of the new HomePod faced delays of more than a month. In China, midnight color is expected to be shipped between February 22nd and March 1st, with a delay of nearly four weeks at the latest.
IT Home learned that the updated second-generation HomePod was launched about two years after Apple discontinued the original HomePod smart speaker. The original HomePod didn’t have the market success Apple had hoped for for several reasons, including the speaker’s high $349 price tag and limited features when it launched. Apple’s new HomePod 2nd Generation is its latest foray into the smart home market, which Google and Amazon have dominated for several years.