In this fast-developing world, technology is taking over every factor of our lives and is undeniably making it easier for us. One prime example of this is voice-controlled Home assistants like Alexa and Echo dot. As expected there is an Apple version of it called the HomePod.
Two years ago the original HomePod was discontinued by Apple without a replacement for it available back in March 2021. But now, very out of the blue, last week, the tech giant announced that a new Apple 2nd generation HomePod will be making its way into the world. This new version of the HomePod will be powered by the S7 chip which was originally meant for the Apple Watch.
The upgraded version is surprisingly a downgrade from the original version as it is equipped with five tweeters rather than the 7 of the last version, and has four instead of six microphones. This will help Apple maximize its profit and equalize the cost of production. The thing is that the original cost more to make than it sold for and was considered over-engineered by many people, deterring the sales even further.
One of the most important factors for buyers is that they want affordability and connectivity both, rather than the sound that their device can produce. This is a reason that the OG HomePod could never reach what its other counterparts reached, while the HomePod mini which was priced at a very economical $99, something that is unusual for Apple, took off and became a hit almost instantly after its launch which took place in 2020. However, some of the people that swear by Apple, wanted the company to release a speaker and that was one of the reasons that Apple is back with the HomePod 2nd generation, even though it has changed something that ultimately makes it cheaper to manufacture and cheaper to buy.
Statista Consumer Insights conducted a survey and the results shows that Amazon is leading the smart speaker landscape in the US. This is kind of understandable as the company practically invented the category when they launched the first Amazon Echo back in 2014. The reason for their leadership is that they have a good strategy where they have kept their speakers at an affordable price throughout the years and thus have succeeded in getting them to many homes throughout the whole American continent.
Read next: The Best US Mobile And Broadband Internet Performance For Q4 Of 2022 Revealed
Two years ago the original HomePod was discontinued by Apple without a replacement for it available back in March 2021. But now, very out of the blue, last week, the tech giant announced that a new Apple 2nd generation HomePod will be making its way into the world. This new version of the HomePod will be powered by the S7 chip which was originally meant for the Apple Watch.
The upgraded version is surprisingly a downgrade from the original version as it is equipped with five tweeters rather than the 7 of the last version, and has four instead of six microphones. This will help Apple maximize its profit and equalize the cost of production. The thing is that the original cost more to make than it sold for and was considered over-engineered by many people, deterring the sales even further.
One of the most important factors for buyers is that they want affordability and connectivity both, rather than the sound that their device can produce. This is a reason that the OG HomePod could never reach what its other counterparts reached, while the HomePod mini which was priced at a very economical $99, something that is unusual for Apple, took off and became a hit almost instantly after its launch which took place in 2020. However, some of the people that swear by Apple, wanted the company to release a speaker and that was one of the reasons that Apple is back with the HomePod 2nd generation, even though it has changed something that ultimately makes it cheaper to manufacture and cheaper to buy.
Statista Consumer Insights conducted a survey and the results shows that Amazon is leading the smart speaker landscape in the US. This is kind of understandable as the company practically invented the category when they launched the first Amazon Echo back in 2014. The reason for their leadership is that they have a good strategy where they have kept their speakers at an affordable price throughout the years and thus have succeeded in getting them to many homes throughout the whole American continent.
Read next: The Best US Mobile And Broadband Internet Performance For Q4 Of 2022 Revealed
