Apple Stops Selling Headphones and Speakers From Third-Party Companies Ahead of Rumored Smaller HomePod and AirPods Studio Launch

Apple is no longer selling headphones and wireless speakers from companies like Sonos, Bose, and Logitech, as it prepares to launch a new, lower-cost HomePod and AirPods Studio headphones.

HomePodSeniorAndJunior2 1
According to checks performed by Bloomberg, Apple removed headphones and speakers from Bose, speakers from Logitech's Ultimate Ears brand, and Sonos speakers from its online Apple Store at the end of September. Searching for these products, which were previously sold online and in retail stores, brings up no results.

Employees at Apple retail locations have also allegedly been asked to pull third-party audio products from shelves over the course of the last few days. Retail stores and the online store continue to offer Beats-branded headphones and speakers alongside Apple's AirPods and ‌HomePod‌.

Apple has made similar moves in the past, eliminating stock of fitness trackers ahead of the launch Apple Watch. Apple told Bloomberg that it regularly makes changes to the products that it offers as new third-party accessories are released and the needs of customers change.

Rumors indicate Apple is working on several new audio products, including a smaller, lower-cost HomePod and high-end over-ear Apple-branded headphones that could be called "AirPods Studio," to be sold alongside the AirPods and AirPods Pro.

Both of these new products are expected to launch before the end of the year, and the removal of the third-party audio products from the online store suggests we could be seeing Apple's new audio devices soon, perhaps as soon as the iPhone-centric October event that's rumored to be in the works.

Current rumors indicate that Apple has an event planned for October 13, and if that's the case, we could see an Apple announcement as soon as tomorrow.

Related Roundups: HomePod, AirPods Max, HomePod mini

Top Rated Comments

FlyGuyDEN Avatar
45 months ago

HomePod is a great device.
HomePod is a great device as long as you're not interacting with Siri.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FHoff Avatar
45 months ago

I've had no problems with Siri via HomePod.
I’ll second that.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jarman92 Avatar
45 months ago



Come on Apple why can't we have comparisons to other vendors products in the store?
Consumers still have choice, just not at the Apple Store. It's a store for Apple's products...why would they sell products that compete with theirs? Should they also sell Microsoft and Dell PCs? Google phones? Samsung tablets?
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
farewelwilliams Avatar
45 months ago
HomePod is a great device.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
McKodiak Avatar
45 months ago
Apple is removing competing products from it's stores? Don't they have to allow competing products to have prominent floorspace, window advertising, and Apple Genius recommendations all at a 0% fee to the competitor?
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
farewelwilliams Avatar
45 months ago

HomePod is a great device as long as you're not interacting with Siri.
I've had no problems with Siri via HomePod.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
iphone 16 dummies

iPhone 16 Dummy Models Showcase Design Changes, New Buttons

Tuesday March 26, 2024 6:03 am PDT by
Images comparing purportedly accurate dummy models of the iPhone 16 series have been shared online, providing a closer look at the rumored design of the upcoming devices. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are expected to get larger display sizes this year, according to multiple sources, while the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will be the same size as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. ...