HomePod: The Discontinuation That Still Has Unanswered Questions (Above Avalon Report)
An examination of the run-up, decision, and fallout related to Apple’s most curious product discontinuation.
Written by Neil Cybart
In March 2021, Apple discontinued the original HomePod with the stated reason of focusing on the HomePod mini. The decision was a curious one, not only because Apple rarely discontinues products, but also the HomePod mini is an all-around inferior product in comparison to the HomePod.
More than a year later, all of the questions related to Apple’s decision to discontinue HomePod remain just as valid today. The HomePod was one of the more impressive products Apple had shipped in years. The stellar music listening experience obtained by pairing two HomePods together remains an eye-opening experience. It’s hard to imagine Apple executives have replaced original HomePods in their homes with HomePod minis.
HomePod may be up there as the most questionable product discontinuation in modern Apple. In its quest to say no much more often than yes, the HomePod may have fallen victim to Apple’s focus culture.
The Stationary Smart Speaker Market
In the late 2010s, we experienced a stationary smart speaker mirage. Companies were using smart speakers to take advantage of an awkward phase of technology in which there didn’t seem to be any clear direction as to where things were headed.
An Above Avalon membership is required to continue reading this report. Members can read the full report here. An audio version of this report is available to members who have the podcast add-on attached to their membership. More information about the podcast add-on is found here.
(Members: Reports are always accessible by logging into Slack. If you haven’t logged into Slack before, fill out this form to receive an invite.)
Above Avalon Membership
Payment is processed and secured by Stripe. Apple Pay and other mobile payment options are accepted. Special Inside Orchard bundle pricing is available for Above Avalon members.
Member Privileges and Benefits
Receive Exclusive Daily Updates. The cornerstone of Above Avalon membership is access to Neil’s exclusive daily updates about Apple. Updates are sent via email and go over current news and developments impacting Apple, its competitors, and the industries Apple plays in (or will play in). Approximately 200 daily updates are published throughout the year. Sample daily updates can be viewed here, here, and here.
Receive Exclusive Reports. Members have access to Neil’s reports, which are in-depth examinations of Apple's business, product, and financial strategy.
Access Private Podcasts. Members have the option of attaching a podcast add-on to their membership in order to receive the daily updates and reports in audio form.
Access Neil’s Earnings Model. Members have access to Neil’s working Apple earnings model (an Excel file that also works in Numbers). The model is fully functional and adjustable and provides the ability to alter earnings drivers.
Email Priority. Receive priority when it comes to having email questions and inquiries answered. Neil personally answers all inquiries, including customer service matters related to your membership.
Archive Access. Read 1,200+ daily updates and reports that have been previously sent to members. The Above Avalon member archive is unmatched in the marketplace in terms of the sheer amount of Apple analysis found in one location. The daily updates archive can be viewed here while the reports archive is available here.
Member Forum Access. Join other Above Avalon members in an active forum containing in-depth discussion and debate. Neil moderates and participates in the forum. The forum is run through Slack and can be accessed here.
Virtual Meet-ups. Talk with Neil about Apple and other related items in virtual meet-ups held via Slack throughout the year.
Above Avalon Support. Play an active role in supporting Above Avalon as an independent source of Apple analysis. Above Avalon is fully sustained by its members.
Introducing New and Improved Above Avalon Reports
In 2018, I unveiled Above Avalon Reports as a way to go deeper into Apple topics for Above Avalon members. Reports were designed to have a long shelf life and be used as reference material that members can periodically turn to. Five reports were published to date, and each received very positive member feedback. The top request has been more reports.
I’m excited to unveil Above Avalon Reports 2.0, which both addresses some improvements to the reports format and introduces a few new concepts. The updates include:
A leveraging of the daily updates back catalog. Since 2015, more than 1,200 daily updates have been published. That amounts to approximately 35 books worth of analysis and perspective. It’s an incredible back catalog that has proven to have a long shelf life. However, the back catalog can be overwhelming to navigate. Reports are going to tackle this problem by purposely covering core topics that we have talked about in prior updates over the course of months and maybe even years. A few sample topics that fall under this bucket will include AAPL valuation trends, Apple’s TV strategy, gauging Apple Watch competition, Project Titan 101, and Mixed Reality 101.
More approachable (i.e. shorter) and frequent reports. With the initial round of reports, word count and publication date became arbitrary targets. Going forward, reports will be as long as they need to be in order to properly cover a topic. This will result in more frequent reports as well.
The tackling of new topics. In addition to covering topics that we have previously discussed in the updates, reports will also include topics that wouldn’t make as much sense for the daily updates format. These reports will likely be narrower in focus and shorter in length.
Easier-to-find reports. Daily updates have their own dedicated Slack channel. Reports will now get the same. Reports will also be featured more prominently on AboveAvalon.com. This will make it easier for members to access reports while potential members are made aware of what members have access to.
Accessible to All Members
It was important to me to keep Above Avalon Reports accessible to all members. Accordingly, reports will remain free for Above Avalon members.
The daily updates are a great way to discuss current news and developments impacting Apple, its competitors, and the industries Apple plays in (or will play in). Reports will be a great way to showcase my analysis and research on all things Apple that may not necessarily have a connection to the current news cycle. While I think the daily updates will remain the cornerstone of Above Avalon membership, my expectation is that some members will look at Reports as the gem found with an Above Avalon membership.
Become a member by using the following signup forms ($20 per month or $200 per year).
Payment is hosted and secured by MoonClerk and Stripe. Apple Pay is accepted. You will receive a confirmation email that includes a link allowing you to update your payment information and membership status at any time.
New Private Podcast for Reports
Something new that I am introducing is the option to receive Above Avalon Reports in audio form via a new private podcast. Once a written report has been sent out to all members via email, I will also be releasing an audio version of the report. This audio version will involve me reading through the report as well as explaining and talking through charts, exhibits, and tables. Each report will represent an episode of a new podcast that I am appropriately calling “Above Avalon Reports”. My expectation is that I will also record behind-the-scenes episodes that go over my research and perspective that didn’t make the final cut for publication.
This new private podcast will be made available to Above Avalon members who have attached the podcast add-on to their membership. This means the podcast add-on will now provide members access to two private podcasts:
Above Avalon Reports (for the reports)
The podcast add-on (just $10 per month or $100 per year) offers approachability and accessibility for members looking to customize their membership to their liking. Listen to daily updates and reports around the house, on a walk, or in the car. Receive more than 40 hours of audio per year while gaining access to a back catalog of 60 additional hours of analysis.
Transistor is handling the behind-the-scenes mechanics for distributing the private podcasts so that they can be listened to in various podcast players including Apple Podcasts and Overcast. The set-up process is very simple:
Upon purchasing the podcast add-on, you will receive an email (from “Neil Cybart via Transistor”) that directs you to a signup page listing various podcast players that can be used to listen to the podcast. Open the page on an iPhone, and you will see various iOS podcast players. Open the page on a Mac, and you will see options for listening to the podcast on a Mac.
After you select your preferred podcast player, new Above Avalon Reports episodes will automatically appear in your podcast feed as they are published.
That’s it. There is no need to create a separate login, password, or Transistor profile. In the vast majority of cases, there is no need to even copy or paste a link or RSS feed.
To become a member and have the podcast add-on attached to your membership, use the following signup forms:
Payment is hosted and secured by MoonClerk and Stripe. Apple Pay is accepted. You will receive a confirmation email that includes a link allowing you to update your payment information and membership status at any time.
If you are already an Above Avalon member, fill out this form to get the podcast add-on.
Big Picture
A growing number of sites that rely on paid subscription or membership business models are making their best material free and then treating membership features like exclusive posts and newsletters as “extras.” I’ve been building Above Avalon to be something different. Over the past few years, nearly all of my time and effort has been dedicated to exclusive analysis for members. In the coming weeks, I make a more deliberate effort to show non-members the value and content found with Above Avalon membership. A surprising number of people who read and listen to Above Avalon are still not aware I publish daily updates.
A big thank you to those of you who have supported Above Avalon membership and recommended it to others. Word of mouth has remained a vital growth driver for membership over the years. Above Avalon membership was launched seven years ago last month - May 13th, 2015!
- Neil