News has come out that Apple’s HomePod smart speaker would be entering the Chinese market sometime in early 2019. Apple has a decent market share in China already, and are hoping that the HomePod will help increase that share significantly.
It won’t be easy, however, since the HomePod has plenty of competition from Chinese brands which not only have had their products in the market longer, but are also cheaper. Overpricing and Apple seem to go hand in hand nowadays, and the HomePod is no exception. According to the posting on Apple China’s website for the HomePod, it will cost around $407 USD in the Chinese market. This is $58 more than what it currently costs in the west. Apple will be banking on Apple loyalists being aplenty in China for the HomePod to be a success. Smart speakers are relatively similar in functionality, and well-known homegrown brands like Baidu and Tencent will be tough for Apple to beat.
An exact release date for the HomePod in China has yet to be released, but it is possible that it will be out by the time the HomePod sees its first anniversary in February.
