“According to Taiwan’s supply chain source (via Sina), Apple is in talk[s] with MediaTek to launch a cheap version of its HomePod speakers to grab more market share,” Jing Moreno reports for Loveios.
“The anonymous source claimed that Apple is preparing to announce the cheap version of HomePod,” Jing reports. “However, it will not be linked to Apple’s name.”
“Instead, it will be under the Beats brand,” Jing reports. “As for price, the low-priced model would cost around $199.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: As they do with AirPods for Beats, although they’re not called AirPods, they do house the custom-designed Apple W1 chip which allows them to operate like AirPods. Beats’ “AirPods” are branded “Beats X” and “PowerBeats.”
If Apple does a less expensive “HomePod” under the Beats label, it’s likely it’ll not be called “HomePod.”
Lets just hope this is only a rumor and nothing else. For Apple to make cheap homepod, what compromises will be made
You mean like the overpriced thing they are selling currently?
The HomePod is overengineered and overpriced. Using the Beats brand to bring a less expensive version to the market place is a fantastic use of the Beats Brand.
I am guessing it will be called “Beats Me”.
Apple continues to dominate. It has already established itself as the undisputed market leader in monophonic speakers selling above $350.
I see what you did there.
Usually Apple creates a new expensive market that people aspire to and charges for it… the HomePod steps back to the days of single-speaker AM Radios and makes them high-fidelity… oh and you can’t plug an external source into it and there are no public protocols to stream sound to it.
HomePod’s a joke.
I would be interested in an Apple-designed good quality speaker with a wired connection so that I can also operate it from non-Apple sources.
You and me and a few million other people, I suspect.
Actually this is something that I presumed may well be on the cards, it makes a lot of sense. They won’t be damaging the Apple brand while being able to make the productavaialable to a far wider market and indeed to those who would not perhaps choose an apple product. The Homepod as is can fill a central hub role but as we have seen with competing products to fully exploit the potential of such a product you need cheaper chained speakers that can permeate the whole household or appeal to those with lower expectations in terms of sound quality. So surely this would make the perfect compromise and something that would make the whole Beats brand more useful to Apple (and indeed vice versa) while enabling apple to have at least a chance with competing with the other brands in this increasingly important environment.
If they put their efforts into stereo capabilities for the existing HomePod, they automatically quadruple their sales. I don’t want a cheap HomePod, I want a good one that functions as promised. I love my HomePod- I want to love it more.
Stereo is in line to be finished right after the Mac Pro upgrade. Be patient.
I’d like two more less expensive HomePods, for smaller rooms. If they’re sold as Beats, that’s fine.
I really have no need/desire for the speaker element. I just want the voice control functionality and if it’s cheap enough I could blanket my house in coverage.
Just returned my HomePod. So disappointed with Siri capabilities. When it can play local radio on demand, I’m back in.
Sure you did…..
How about an Apple equivalent to the Dot, so we can make the speaker or stereo of our choosing a smart speaker.
Siri would need to improve, but why not.