The wait is nearly over. The Apple HomePod will be available to pre-order online from January 26 for those keen to get their hands on the smart speaker in the US, UK and Australia. Apple fans in France and Germany will have to wait until Spring 2017.
According to Apple, the Siri-powered smart speaker will be delivered on February 9, which is also when it’s expected to go on sale in Apple brick-and-mortar shops in the US, UK and Australia too.
But as you might expect, many are predicting they could sell out fast. That means if you want to be one of the first to bark commands at Siri from your sofa, you’ll need to pre-order one as soon as possible.
How can you get an Apple HomePod?
Pre-orders are available on Apple.com, as well as on the Apple Store app on iOS devices in the US, UK and Australia.
At the time of publishing however, it seems that Apple is yet to press go on the option to pre-order. Apple pre-orders usually begin at midnight Pacific Time, but although there’s a holding page on the website and on the Apple Store app dedicated to the HomePod, there’s no vital ‘pre-order’ button. We’ll keep you updated.
The Apple HomePod will cost $349 in the US, £319 in the UK and $499 in Australia.
What is the Apple HomePod?
For those who haven’t been following the news and announcements around the Apple HomePod, it’s a smart speaker powered by Siri. In many ways it’s a response to the huge popularity of similar standalone speakers, such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home.
Because Apple is pretty late to the smart speaker party, it’s not clear yet what kind of demand the HomePod will have. Many users interested in voice-powered smart speakers will have probably already got their hands on one of HomePod’s competitors. But given that it’s part of the super popular Apple ecosystem and puts Siri to good work, it’s also likely to entice Apple fans in a heartbeat.
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