Apple has removed all references to the original, full-sized HomePod from its website, months after officially discontinuing the smart speaker that struggled to reach mainstream adoption.
The removal of references to the original HomePod came as a result of brand new changes to Apple's website. With the new changes, Apple now only highlights the HomePod mini, which now comes in brand new colors.
Apple announced HomePod in 2018 as its first major home-centric product, focused around delivering high-quality audio combined with the integration into services, such as Apple Music and Siri.
Priced at $349 at launch and eventually decreased to $299, Apple struggled to market the HomePod in a way appealing to the masses, yielding lower sales than the company was likely aiming for. Additionally, Siri, which powers the HomePod experience, continues to grapple with catching up to the capabilities of Google's smart assistant and Amazon's Alexa.
Apple followed up the full-sized HomePod with the HomePod mini last year, and today added new colors for the smaller speaker. The HomePod mini features a significantly smaller design than the original HomePod, but continues to feature the same Siri experience, powered by Apple Music and third-party services. Unlike the original HomePod selling for $299, the HomePod mini is priced at $99. The HomePod mini recently became available in more countries, including Austria, Ireland, and New Zealand.
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker.
Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...
R.I.P. I have four of the original HPs and one Mini. The sound quality from the originals is amazing for their size. The Mini pales in comparison (and yes I know it's less expensive). The originals were perfect for an office or bedroom.
