Apple Said to Prep Cheaper HomePod for 2020

By Janko Roettgers

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Apple is getting ready to introduce a cheaper version of its HomePod smart speaker in 2020, Bloomberg reported Thursday . The company is also working on a new version of its AirPod headphones for next year, according to Bloomberg.

didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The new version of the is said to use just 2 tweeters, down from the 7 used for omnidirectional sound in the current model. Apple first introduced the  HomePod with a $350 price tag in early 2018, but more recently dropped the price to $299.

The company has had a hard time competing with cheaper smart speakers made by companies like Google, Amazon and Sonos. Consumer Intelligence Research Partners recently estimated that the HomePod had a market share of just 5% in the U.S., with Amazon Echo speakers leading the market with a share of 70%, and Google’s products capturing 25%.

News of those 2020 product upgrades comes as Apple is getting ready to introduce the next version of the iPhone in September. The company is said to replace the current Xs and Xs Max phones with a product called the iPhone Pro, according to Bloomberg. These new pro models are supposedly coming with a better camera, improved video recording capabilities and the ability to serve as a charger for the company’s Airpod wireless headphones.