Apple is gearing up for the launch of its first ever loudspeaker. Although no exact date has been confirmed, the Homepod will be coming out in December just in time for the holidays. However, reports have circulated that the stocks may be limited.
Before the official announcement of the HomePod was made in June, it has long been rumored that Inventec Appliances was the supplier for the Apple HomePod. Recently, the company's president David Ho implied that the stocks for the HomePod were going to be limited upon its release, similar to the previous devices that Apple has launched.
It was in an earnings press conference where Ho stated that they will start shipping out models of the smart speaker this year. It is important to note that he did not directly mention the HomePod, but the estimated time frame for the device's release as well as stating it as a "high-profile smart home device." It was enough to suggest that it would be the HomePod. Around that time, Apple had also confirmed that the HomePod will be coming out in December.
Ho went on to say that its contribution to the company's revenue will be fairly limited, and that he hopes it will improve next year. By 2018, on the other hand, it seems that Inventec Appliances will not be the only manufacturing company in charge of the HomePod, as Apple is planning to add Foxconn as another supplier for the smart speaker.
With Inventec Appliances and Foxconn on board to provide the orders, these will be split and there will be an increase in production following its official launch in December. In a report by Nikkei Asian Review, officials at Inventec said that the total shipments of smart devices and connected devices might grow up to 20 percent, with a total of 70 to 75 million units. This is in line with the company's forecast earlier this year.
