Amazon continues to lead the market for smart speakers and smart screens with devices like the Echo Dot and Echo Show, but Apple has nearly doubled its market share in this segment thanks to the HomePod mini, according to research firm Strategy Analytics.
Strategy Analytics estimates that Apple shipped 4 million smart speakers in the third quarter of 2021, taking a 10.2% share of the combined smart speaker and smart screen market. Google's Nest Mini was the top-selling device in the segment, followed by the HomePod mini and Amazon's fourth-generation Echo Dot, the research firm said.
By comparison, Apple's market share for smart speakers and screens was estimated at 5.9% in the year-ago quarter, prior to the HomePod mini launching.
Apple is at a disadvantage in this particular report, as it does not compete in the smart screen market. In his latest newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expressed his belief that Apple should launch a larger iPad as a home hub to compete with devices like the Echo Show 15. It's unclear if Apple will ever release such a device, but Gurman did earlier this year report that Apple was exploring future iPads with larger display sizes.
As for the HomePod mini, the $99 speaker has not been updated since launching in October 2020, beyond getting new yellow, orange, and blue colors. Based on Apple's increased market share, the current HomePod mini appears to remain a success.
Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed.
Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles."
If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself.
Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update.
Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September.
Below, we recap the key...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup.
If you skipped the iPhone...
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:11 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1 come two weeks after the launch of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
There have been complaints about ...
Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:04 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released tvOS 18.4.1, a minor update to the tvOS 18 operating system that came out last September. tvOS 18.4.1 comes two weeks after Apple released tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models.
tvOS 18.4.1 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the Apple TV. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software....
Wednesday April 16, 2025 4:15 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple has quite a few security features that it's added to iPhones, iPads, and Macs over the years. Now more than ever, it's important to make sure you're taking advantage of the built-in security tools that are available to keep yourself and your data safe, so we've rounded up a list of the most important options.
If you don't already have these enabled, you might want to consider turning...
Apple should collaborate with Amazon and offer Alexa and Siri at the same time.
Siri seems to be not reliable many times. It needs a lot of work still.
Please no. Apple has no motivation for creepy data collection, while Amazon and Google do. Yes, Siri needs improvement, but bringing Amazon and Google onboard does nothing to help that.
I have to say, I've started to really buy into Amazon's Echo ecosystem. It's a good product that's affordable enough to buy enough of them to put in various reaches of my home. It integrates with my Apple Music subscription, and it works with SmartThings stuff as well.
