One week ahead of HomePod's launch date in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia on February 9, the first batch of pre-order customers have begun receiving notifications from their banks about being charged for their orders, many located in the UK. According to tips, customers have noticed a charge placed on their cards related to HomePod orders as of early this morning, one week after pre-orders initially went up last Friday, January 26.
Image via MacRumors forum member smr
As customers begin getting charged, shipment preparations are also gearing up for HomePod and some MacRumors forum members have shared that their orders are "preparing for dispatch" with the expected delivery date of February 9.
This places HomePod pre-order shipping schedules on track with previous Apple device launches, and more users should begin noticing charges and shipment preparation order updates throughout the day. Next, the first set of HomePods will likely begin shipping out this weekend or early next week.
Initial hands-on impressions of the speaker have been positive, with a few websites enjoying the design of the HomePod, a "fast and seamless" integration with Siri, and favoring the audio quality over rival speakers like Sonos One and Google Home Max.
Among those giving impressions was a user on the audiophile subreddit, who noted "significantly better" audio than Google Home Max, and summed up their post by stating, "A single HomePod, for the size and price, slaughters most speakers under $1000."
For those who haven't yet pre-ordered, HomePod orders placed on Apple.com today are still available for a February 9 delivery or pick-up date in both White and Space Gray.
Monday January 26, 2026 1:55 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch.
Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More
Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...
Monday January 26, 2026 3:56 pm PST by Juli Clover
Alongside iOS 26.2.1, Apple today released an updated version of iOS 12 for devices that are still running that operating system update, eight years after the software was first released.
iOS 12.5.8 is available for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6, meaning Apple is continuing to support these devices for 13 and 12 years after launch, respectively. The iPhone 5s came out in September 2013,...
Monday January 26, 2026 6:07 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today introduced the second-generation AirTag, with key features including longer range for tracking items and a louder speaker.
For those who are not familiar, the AirTag is a small accessory that you can attach to your backpack, keys, or other items. Then, you can track the location of those items in the Find My app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and iCloud.com.
The new...
Sunday January 25, 2026 6:02 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
2026 promises to be yet another busy year for Apple, with the company rumored to be planning more than 20 product announcements over the coming months.
Beyond the usual updates to iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches, Apple is expected to release its all-new smart home hub, which was reportedly delayed until the more personalized version of Siri is ready. Other unique products rumored for ...
Sunday January 25, 2026 11:46 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to release new MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Studio Display models in the first half of this year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman added that redesigned MacBook Pro models with an OLED touch screen "should be hitting toward the end of 2026," meaning that the MacBook Pro line would be upgraded twice this year.
First up...
It was the same thing when the Apple Watch came out, I remember people telling me it was never going to be a success and that I’d just wasted my money, I’ve learned to just ignore those comments now.
Pretty much true. Ditto with AirPods.
Some people are so invested in tearing something down they haven't tried. Guess it helps them to feel good about themselves.
With Apple's 14 day return policy, it's easy enough to evaluate HomePod in your own listening environment - which is what really counts - and then decide if it's a keeper or not.
Probably the most controversial speaker ever. :rolleyes: So many people getting bent out of shape because they think everyone else should care about and agree with their opinion of this speaker. o_O
Probably the most controversial speaker ever. :rolleyes: So many people getting bent out of shape because they think everyone else should care about and agree with their opinion of this speaker. o_O
It was the same thing when the Apple Watch came out, I remember people telling me it was never going to be a success and that I’d just wasted my money, I’ve learned to just ignore those comments now.
$350? For a speaker? Apple, half of your userbase (probably more like 3/4) probably think this is just siri except not on a phone. You think they'll pay $350 for something they don't even understand?
I hear ya, bro... What's next, people paying $160 for wireless earbuds? Now that would be a real knee slapper!
