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Apple's HomePod is trailing far behind its biggest rivals when it comes to the number of units shipped, according to new data from market research firm Strategy Analytics.Apple shipped an estimated 600,000 HomePods in the first quarter of 2018, reports Strategy Analytics, netting 6% of smart speaker market share.That's significantly behind Amazon, which Strategy Analytics estimates shipped 4 million Amazon Echo speakers in the quarter ending March 31, allowing it to corner a whopping 43.6% of the market. The Apple HomePod didn't go on sale until February 9, so it does have a disadvantage when it comes to time on sale.That other tech giant that sells smart speakers, meanwhile, shipped an estimated 2.4 million Google Home units in the quarter, giving it 26.5% of Q1 market share. It's important to note that Strategy Analytics is estimating shipments, not sales, so this isn't necessarily a reflection of how many HomePods were sent direct to consumers. Still, Strategy Analytics numbers line up with tales of underwhelming HomePod sales, which reportedly led Apple to scale back production.A few things working against Apple HomePod are its high price – $349 / £319 / AU$499 – and that you need an Apple Music subscription to make the experience worthwhile.
It's a good speaker for Apple device users, but if you're outside of the iOS ecosystem, it's a very hard sell. We'll see if Apple makes any adjustments to HomePod, including releasing a cheaper version, as the year goes on, but suffice it to say, the new numbers can't be music to its ears. Via The Verge
