HomePod 2.0

Everything we know about the next-gen smart speaker

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It’s been more than a year since Apple discontinued its HomePod speaker, and though its mini successor has helped the Cupertino company increase its smart home market share, there’s still a long way to go. Apple is now planning to reinvigorate the space by launching an all-new HomePod with advanced capabilities - and rumors suggest could arrive this year.

ALL-NEW HOMEPOD

According to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has correctly predicted a number of recent Apple launches, like the Mac Studio and AirPods 3, Apple is planning to launch a new version of its HomePod later this year. The company made the unusual decision of discontinuing the original model back in 2021, presumably due to low sales, and instead launched a more affordable $99 HomePod mini, which offered many of the same features at a more affordable price tag. The launch of the cheaper model helped Apple almost double its market share, with Apple now responsible for 10.2% of the smart speaker sector. Still, the company has a long way to go if it wants to be able to compete with the likes of Google Nest Mini and Amazon Echo Dot, which both offer the same features as the HomePod mini but are regularly on offer for as little as $19 in the United States during holiday sales periods.