Apple’s HomePod continues to struggle against the powerhouse that is Amazon Echo

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It seems like Apple’s voice assistant speaker isn’t bringing in the cash the company expected. According to Bloomberg, the company has lowered their manufacturing numbers through producer, Inventec Corporation. Apple is also cutting production numbers in China from 500,000 to 200,000 due to poor sales of the Amazon Echo competitor.

According to Loup Ventures co-founder, Gene Munster, he is expecting Apple to sell around 7 million HomePods within its first year, and 11 million in total in 2019. 11 million units sound like a solid number, but not when compared to predictions of 2019 sales of Amazon’s Echo. These numbers could reach as high as 39 million in 2019, says Munster, with 29 million units sold being projected for this year. The other main competitor within the smart speaker industry, Google Home, is slated to sell 18 million this year, with projections showing upwards of 32 million in 2019.

It is no surprise that Apple hasn’t been going well with their HomePod, as it noticeably lacks against both Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant over Siri. An independent study was conducted to show how Siri lacks in comparison to Google Assistant when approached with a variety of questions. In addition, the HomePod cannot even play third-party music or support multi-room audio. For $350, the HomePod merely is not worth it when you look at the other options on the market.

Obviously, some people will still be purchasing the HomePod, as it is yet another way to bolster your Apple ecosystem, but if you’re not married to that idea, it might be best to hold off at present.

If you are interested in purchasing a smart speaker, you will be better off looking at Google or Amazon’s options. There is no point in buying into Apple’s product when you can buy a better product for a fraction of the price. Maybe with some time to research and develop a better product, Apple can come out with a better smart speaker with their branding. However, as it stands now, Apple missed the mark by miles.

Amanda Adams

Amanda is a freelance journalist who enjoys naps way too much. I fell in love with video games when I bought my N64 and Goldeneye 007 with my birthday money... it's safe to say that birthday was epic. Let's chat!