HomePod Launches in Japan and Taiwan [Updated] - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

HomePod Launches in Japan and Taiwan [Updated]

by

Update: On schedule, the HomePod has now launched in Japan and Taiwan.

Original story follows.


Apple's ‌HomePod‌ is set to launch in Japan and Taiwan next week, on Friday, August 23, Apple announced today. Ahead of the launch, Apple is accepting pre-orders through its online stores in Japan and Taiwan.

homepodjapan
The ‌HomePod‌ is available for ¥32,800 in Japan and NT$9,900 in Taiwan, which is $10 to $15 higher than the price in the U.S. When the ‌HomePod‌ first launched in the United States in 2018, it was priced at $349, but the price was lowered to $299 in April of this year.

Apple announced plans to expand the ‌HomePod‌ to Japan and Taiwan earlier this summer, and added support for the new countries in the 12.4 software made available for the ‌HomePod‌ in late July.

Apple now sells the ‌HomePod‌ in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Mexico, China, and Hong Kong, along with Taiwan and Japan.

Related Roundup: HomePod
Buyer's Guide: HomePod (Caution)

Popular Stories

HomePod 2 and Mini feature 1

Apple Releases HomePod Software 26.5

Monday May 11, 2026 9:59 am PDT by
Alongside iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, and macOS Tahoe 26.5, Apple has released new HomePod 26.5 software for the HomePod and the HomePod mini. The update comes a little over a month after Apple released HomePod Software 26.4. According to Apple's release notes, HomePod Software 26.5 includes performance and stability improvements. ‌HomePod‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ software is installed...
Read Full Article • 28 comments
HomePod mini and Apple TV Sage

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Are 'Nearly Ready' to Launch, New Siri Remote Also Rumored

Sunday May 31, 2026 8:47 am PDT by
New models of the Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini are "nearly ready to go," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Both devices have been ready "for months," but Apple is holding off on launching them until the more personalized version of Siri is available, he said. "I am told the hardware for the next Apple TV...
Read Full Article • 136 comments
Apple Foldable Thumb

First 'Confirmed' iPhone Ultra Color Allegedly Revealed in Leaked Image

Monday June 1, 2026 4:39 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch its first foldable iPhone later this year. Rumors suggest the "iPhone Ultra" will come in two color options, and a leaker shared an image today that allegedly shows one of them. Posted on Weibo by the Chinese leaker known as Ice Universe, the image purportedly offers a first glimpse of Apple's foldable in white. The device is believed to have entered early mass...
Read Full Article • 86 comments

Top Rated Comments

C
citysnaps
89 months ago
Does anyone use this thing really?
Roughly 3-4 hours a day. Every day. For the past year and a half.

Why?
[doublepost=1565934278][/doublepost]
I've got one and honestly I don't use it much. If it had built-in Spotify/Bluetooth, or if Siri actually worked—it'd be useful.
Siri actually works. Maybe a trip to the genius bar is in order?
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Santabean2000 Avatar
Santabean2000
89 months ago
Why is this thing not available everywhere already? It's not like Siri actually works anyway...
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ipedro Avatar
ipedro
89 months ago
This is certainly not a product Apple is giving up on. Expanding reach, frequent updates with new features, integration with Siri Shortcuts that continually give it new capabilities, an accumulating user base.

Apple isn’t giving up on HomePod anymore than they gave up on the AppleTV when it was a niche product. It was a foundation on which Apple is building on through software updates.

It’s still only a little over year old and has already received 3 major updates. If anything, they’re dedicated to it.

Eventually, the critics will end up in the same place as those who said the Apple Watch was a failure. Curiously, you never hear from those people again.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
D
Darth-Kylie
89 months ago
Roughly 3-4 hours a day. Every day. For the past year and a half.

Why?
[doublepost=1565934278][/doublepost]

Siri actually works. Maybe a trip to the genius bar is in order?
Seconded. I have a stereo pair in one room and a single unit in a bedroom, which I used to stream music from Apple Music or from iOS and to query and control HomeKit accessories both within and outwith my home. Sounds great. Works great.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C
calstanford
89 months ago
Does anyone use this thing really?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThatGuyInLa Avatar
ThatGuyInLa
89 months ago
To all those countries, my deepest apologies.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors