HomePod Launches in Japan and Taiwan [Updated] - MacRumors
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

homepods four

Apple Is Testing a Four-HomePod Surround System, Code Suggests

Friday September 4, 2026 2:29 am PDT by
Apple appears to be working on some major new HomePod home theater features, including a four-speaker surround sound system and a new "Party Mode," according to code found in audioOS 27 beta 8, and shared on the MacRumors forums by member pdfu. References in the software for the second-generation HomePod suggest the ability to tune for a setup with front-left, front-right, rear-left, and...
Read Full Article • 121 comments
HomePod 2 White and Midnight Feature Blue Orange

Apple Testing New HomePod With Siri AI

Friday September 4, 2026 8:25 am PDT by
Apple has been testing a new full-sized HomePod with Siri AI support, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Unfortunately, in his report outlining upcoming Apple products today, Gurman said the new full-sized HomePod "doesn't appear to be imminent," so do not expect the speaker to be updated soon. The current HomePod was unveiled in January 2023....
Read Full Article • 31 comments
homepods red

Apple Releases HomePod Software 27 With AutoMix Support

Monday September 14, 2026 10:00 am PDT by
Alongside iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate, Apple today released new software for the HomePod and HomePod mini. HomePod Software 27 adds AirPlay improvements and support for AutoMix when listening to Apple Music. This update introduces support for AutoMix with Apple Music, which transitions between songs like a DJ does, time stretching and beatmatching to deliver a continuous...
Read Full Article • 25 comments

Top Rated Comments

C
citysnaps
93 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
93 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
93 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
93 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
93 months ago
Does anyone use this thing really?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThatGuyInLa Avatar
ThatGuyInLa
93 months ago
To all those countries, my deepest apologies.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments