The new second-generation HomePod appears to have a significant backlog of pre-orders, delaying shipping dates by up to seven weeks in certain markets for Apple's latest smart speaker.
Last week, Apple announced a new HomePod with a slightly updated design, an S7 chip for faster performance and "more advanced" computational audio, a larger backlit touch surface, and other new features. Pre-orders for the new HomePod have been open for less than a week since its announcement on Tuesday, January 18.
In the United States, the midnight HomePod is estimated to ship in three to four weeks, much later than the HomePod's launch date of Friday, February 3. The white HomePod, however, is listed as having no delay. In the United Kingdom, the midnight HomePod faces a five- to six-week delay in shipping. In other markets, such as Germany, both colors of the new HomePod face more than a month delay.
The updated HomePod comes approximately two years after Apple discontinued the original smart speaker. The original HomePod was not the market success Apple was hoping for due to several factors, including the speaker's $349 price at launch and limited features. Apple's new HomePod is its latest attempt to grow its presence in the smart home market, which Google and Amazon have dominated for several years.
Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28.
The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon.
Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week.
iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. iOS 26.2 is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation iPhone SE.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21.
There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
Friday December 12, 2025 10:08 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1.
Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings.
macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...
Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by Juli Clover
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products.
Here's what's supposedly coming:
An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
Friday December 12, 2025 10:09 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released iPadOS 26.2, the second major update to the iPadOS 26 operating system released in September. iPadOS 26.2 comes a month after iPadOS 26.1.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
iPadOS 26.2 continues with the multitasking improvements that were added with iPadOS 26.1. You can now drag and...
Friday December 12, 2025 11:11 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, and macOS 26.2, all of which introduce new features, bug fixes, and security improvements. Apple says that the updates address over 20 vulnerabilities, including two bugs that are known to have been actively exploited.
There are a pair of WebKit vulnerabilities that could allow maliciously crafted web content to execute code or cause memory...
Very strong demand for the HomePod, a product that already failed in its previous (and better) reincarnation? Unlikely.
Apple knows what they are doing... You are ignoring other factors.
Sure, the original 'failed' if you want to see it that way - back then it was competing with a plethora of Amazon and Google lower priced more functional devices and of course it was not going to succeed - even the sound quality was not enough. Im not making excuses for them, it was an ill-judged under-utilised, over-priced device at the time.
Apple then tested the waters with the much lower priced mini, and it began to sell in greater numbers - far outpacing that of the main HomePod.... meanwhile slowly (arguably not that successfully) increasing the siri and multi room capabilities. The bigger HomePod was simply not worth making and selling anymore back then.
Now, absence makes the heart grow fonder... and 2 years later having flooded the market with the cheaper mini... many people will have the appetite to 'upgrade' from the mini to the big HomePod. Especially in the living room where a pair of minis, although sounding much better than they deserve to as a stereo pair, are still not suitable for that bigger room....
In its absence, apple have stoked demand... and that seems to be borne out through this current supply 'shortage'
That said.. the 'shortage' might well just be marketing guff and the harder it is to come by... the more people seems to want it (just ask those youtube goons who marketed the soft drink that keeps selling out!).
The first gen was a commercial failure. Don’t see how this one wouldn’t be, seeing as it’s more or less the same product, years later.
I have to say, this Homepod (to me) is one of the strangest product releases Apple have ever done, since I became a follower back in 2004.
its reality not strange.
If you have ever dabbled in whole-house multi-room music it's a real boon. Its great to have music simultaneously playing in multiple rooms.
Amazon have been doing this for years, so have google, so have sonos... so apple getting in on the act isnt strange in the slightest. And the fact there are now devices to choose from is only a good thing.
