March 17, 2021
Apple’s decision to fine-tune its global product lineup could go a long way in helping it achieve its long-standing desire to crack India.
On March 13, the American tech firm said it would discontinue selling the HomePod once its current stock is exhausted. The company will, however, continue selling its more affordable HomePod Mini that competes with other popular smart speakers such as Amazon Echo and Google Home.
Launched in India in 2018, the HomePod costs around Rs19,900 ($274) in the country as compared to its mini version that can be bought for Rs9,900 ($137).
The average selling price of smart speakers in India during January-September 2020 was Rs 5,560, according to Dubai-based market analysis firm techARC. During this period, 96% of smart speakers sold in the country were Amazon’s Echo Dot, which costs under Rs5,000.