“Apple’s HomePod smart speaker experienced 45 percent growth in the holiday quarter, according to new figures,” Luke Dormehl writes for Cult of Mac. “Strategy Analytics’ report suggests that Apple sold 1.6 million HomePod speakers over the three month period.”
“By comparison, Strategy Analytics thinks that Amazon sold 13.7 million Echo devices over the same period. Google, meanwhile, sold 11.5 million. In terms of market share, Amazon has around 35.5 percent of the global market, followed by Google’s 30 percent,” Dormehl writes. “In third place, is China’s Alibaba with 7.3 percent, followed by Baidu’s 5.7 percent, and Xiaomi’s 4.6 percent.”
“Apple’s HomePod is considerably more expensive. Amazon and Google have their cheap Echo Dot and Google Home Mini devices,” Dormehl writes. “These are positioned at a much lower price point than Apple’s $349. While Apple is selling fewer devices, there’s also a good chance that it’s making more money per unit sold than its competitors.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: That’s really not bad, considering Apple’s weak level of promotion for the device and its price point (which is really an amazing value for a self-tuning speaker of such quality). 1.6 million devices over 90 some odd days is 17,777 units per day, so obviously, Apple has plenty of headroom to increase sales and, by making moves to improve Siri and HomeKit, it seems they are intent on doing so.
You know, a strong television ad or two for HomePod run during some of these music competition shows (The Voice, The Masked Singer, etc.) wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Most regular Joes and Janes we talk to don’t even know what a HomePod is, much less understand all that it can do.
SEE ALSO:
Apple’s HomePod shipments surged 45% in holiday quarter – February 19, 2019
Apple buys voice app startup PullString – February 15, 2019
Head of Apple’s Siri team apparently has been reassigned – February 4, 2019
AI guru John Giannandrea named to Apple’s executive team – December 20, 2018
Former Apple employees on Eddy Cue: Siri and Eddy were ‘a bad fit’ – September 5, 2018
Apple’s Siri improved by 11 percentage points in correct answers over the last 15 months – July 25, 2018
Apple combines machine learning and Siri teams under John Giannandrea – July 10, 2018
Apple’s ‘personal assistant activation’ patent application hints at improved Siri – May 10, 2018
iOS 11.4 will allow Siri to recognize AirPlay commands – May 3, 2018
iPhone X owners are extremely satisfied with basically everything except Siri – April 20, 2018
Apple’s Siri, HomePod and the voice assistant showdown – April 6, 2018
Apple’s A.I. efforts get shot of adrenaline with Giannandrea coup – April 6, 2018
A.I. defector gives Apple access to Google’s secrets – April 6, 2018
Gene Munster: Poaching AI chief John Giannandrea from Google a win for Apple – April 5, 2018
Apple hires Google’s A.I. chief to improve Siri – April 4, 2018
Apple hires Amazon A9 exec Stasior to run Siri unit – October 15, 2012
Were there any commercials for HomePod?
Mr Zero is a raging clueless phobe, his comments mean zero
Were there any ads for Baidu or Xiaomi devices, which outsold Apple in 2018 Q4?
The Strategy Analytics report clearly shows that the Apple Homepod is losing the race badly, in 6th place globally and falling behind with both Amazon and Google selling approximately 3 times as many units.
It doesn’t help that Apple overpriced and underfeatured its dumbass assistant badly. The best Apple can hope for is that the fad ends quickly and its competitors offer something else for Apple to copy.
I own two of these which work in stereo mode with my Apple TV. The sound is fantastic. I think they are superior to the crap manufacturers that you mention. I think a company with Apple’s resources could afford some compelling commercials (please, no hipster metrosexuals frolicking) explaining to Americans how damn good these are and they don’t even invade your privacy.
Despite the lack of basement-bottom pricing of the “competition” for me the HomePod is a much better value, with its quality and ease of use with the Apple ecosystem already in place throughout my household. But the high order bit that the sheep completely miss is PRIVACY. I do not want Amazon and Google listening devices in my living spaces, commoditizing all of my interactions with those devices. The mouth-breathing masses can keep their cheap, compromised junk. Choosing HomePod is a no-brainer.
You are delusional if you think Apple will be able to maintain privacy or security. All voice assistants are spies. It’s just a matter of time before Apple, seeking more profits to appease Wall St, starts to monetize your every word. Cook will claim he can’t personally identify you or sell your secrets but those are lies. Apple DOES enable user tracking and datamining today already. Apple has a division for targeted ads, and all streaming media requests and plays are tracked on each device. With Siri and FaceID, each device is matched to a person. All it takes is a bad actor in Apple or an Apple software developer to abuse the power that they have. It’s only a matter of time before a major security breach shows up.
You are in a si-fi genre, you should write novels… Ever wonder why Apple is soooo slow to come up with products and features? Mostly because of privacy. Period. Tying everything Apple together isnt a piece of cake. No wonder Apple is so hard with 3rd party.
Keep on writing, I like your style.
Deep state is out to getcha Mr Sean
What’s a Home Pod?
T-fal or Cuisinart comes to my mind….
Hey Joe, a Home Pod is like a suppository, you know where to stick it with your dumm questions.
Apple sells suppositories now? No wonder most of their new products fail, they should streamline their categories and focus! (BTW don’t forget to tell your dad to crank the bass before he shoves it up his rectum 😉
As the owner of two homepods, I couldn’t be happier. The sound is excellent whether in my kitchen or very high ceiling Living room. I have 40,000,000 songs to choose from and it can run my home automation. It doesn’t monetize my movements. No HomePod targeted advertising is nice. Quality and security cost more and eventually, the public figures it out. By the way Tim Cook is a fine CEO and has made a lot more money for my AAPL than Saint Steve.
The Apple talking can is the latest in a long string of Apple products that are of zero interest to me.
It is saddening to think about how much of a joy the Mac used to be when Apple put its effort into PERSONAL computers that enabled user CREATIVITY. Now Macs are donglerific second rate designs at outrageous prices. Makes no sense to chase after google and amazon when the greatest achievements Apple ever did for its users were to free them from Big Brother. But here is another example of Apple ignoring Mac users while pushing overpriced media streaming garbage.