When was the HomePod released?

Announced 5 June 2017; released 9 February 2018.

Is there a newer HomePod?

Yes, the 2nd generation was released in February 2023.

9 February 2018 · HomePod

HomePod (first generation)

Name: HomePod (first generation)
Brand: Apple

Speakers

HomePod (first generation) product photograph

Seasider53 · CC BY 4.0

Why it mattered

HomePod was praised for sound and criticised for its price and Siri. Apple cut it to $299 in 2019, discontinued it in 2021 in favour of HomePod mini, then brought a redesigned HomePod back in 2023.

Models and prices

Model / config	Released	Key specs	US launch price	In 2025 dollars (estimate)
HomePod	9 Feb 2018	A8, 7 tweeters	$349	≈ $450

Inflation-adjusted prices are estimates: launch price × (US CPI-U 2025 annual average 321.943 ÷ CPI-U annual average of the launch year), rounded to the nearest $10. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series CUUR0000SA0. US list prices only; they ignore currency, taxes and carrier subsidies.

What came before and after

Before: iPod Hi-Fi (2006). After: HomePod mini (2020), HomePod 2nd gen (2023).

Buying and collecting notes

Power supply failures are common; check it powers on.

Questions

When was the HomePod released?: Announced 5 June 2017; released 9 February 2018.
How much was the first HomePod?: $349, cut to $299 in 2019.
When was the original HomePod discontinued?: March 2021.
Is there a newer HomePod?: Yes, the 2nd generation was released in February 2023.

Sources

Wikipedia: HomePod
BLS CPI-U series CUUR0000SA0 (data.bls.gov/timeseries/CUUR0000SA0)

HomePod (first generation) was released on 9 February 2018.

The HomePod is a series of smart speakers developed by Apple. Designed to work with the Apple Music subscription service, the HomePod incorporates beamforming and eight speakers and is sold in two colors: white and midnight. It is sold alongside the HomePod Mini, a smaller and less expensive variant introduced in 2020.

The first-generation HomePod was announced on June 5, 2017, at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. Its planned December launch was delayed: Apple began taking orders on January 26, 2018, and released it on February 9, 2018. The HomePod received mixed reviews: it was praised for its design and sound quality compared to other speakers of its price, and criticized for lack of third-party support and high price compared to other smart speakers. The first-generation HomePod sold an estimated 1 to 3 million units through August 2018. It was discontinued on March 12, 2021.

The second-generation HomePod was announced on January 18, 2023, and released on February 3.

HomePod Mini (yellow, orange, blue)

26 October 2021

HomePod (2nd generation)

3 February 2023

HomePod Mini (midnight)

15 July 2024

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