Apple HomePod Is No Longer Available, But Owners Need Not Worry

Devices come and go, no matter how popular or how loved. Sometimes older devices are replaced by newer models, but there are also times when they are completely retired instead. The latter is the case for the first Apple smart speaker, the much-delayed HomePod that the company announced would be discontinued. Supplies of the full-sized speaker have finally gone out of stock but, while it can no longer be purchased from direct channels, nothing really changes for those who already own one, at least not yet.

Apple announced in March that it was discontinuing its first-ever smart speaker that was Siri's home in the home for four years. It was a bit of a surprise back then since it didn't exactly announce a HomePod 2. Instead, Apple was clearing the market for the smaller and more affordable HomePod mini that launched in late 2020.

Back then, Apple said that the HomePod would continue to be sold while supplies last. Those supplies have reportedly dwindled and even gone out of stock, at least in the US. Save for a very few pieces remaining, the HomePod could probably be considered completely out of stock globally, at least from official channels. Chances are, you'll still be able to find one from resellers or grey markets.

Just because the HomePod has been discontinued, however, doesn't mean that the speakers will suddenly stop working. "Discontinued" is a completely different thing from "obsolete" in Apple's book. Support for the device will continue for years after it last went on sale, and the device might even continue working long after that until Apple says so.

The original HomePod has had a rather rough journey from the beginning, already coming late to the smart speaker party and then launching later than scheduled. When it did launch, Siri's capabilities disappointed many, but the smart speaker set itself apart from the rest with its audio quality. After the HomePod mini's launch last year, however, it seems that Apple has found the sweet spot in price and features and has decided to move forward with the smaller speaker instead, at least for now.