IT Home April 21 news, according to MacRumors reported that Apple's original HomePod smart speaker, which was discontinued in March 2021, now seems to have risen in value on the online marketplace website.
The original HomePod debuted at $349, and Apple dropped it to $299 a little over a year later. After sluggish sales, Apple discontinued the HomePod and said it would focus on the HomePod mini smart speaker in the future. HomePod continues to receive software updates and new features.
Since then, research data from eBay has shown that the value of the "HomePod" has gradually grown over time. 6610 HomePods have been sold on eBay in the past year, with an average selling price of $347.61, more than 15% higher than Apple's retail price. A total of 2,082 new or sealed HomePods were sold during this period, with an average selling price of $432.27.
Over the past week, the average selling price of a used or refurbished HomePod was $336.03, while the average selling price of a new HomePod was $638.76, indicating a steady climb in value. The Verge found that the HomePod appreciated by about 25 percent more on average than Apple's $299 retail price. Used HomePods without boxes tend to sell for around $220, but new, factory-sealed HomePods can sell for more than $500.
Over time, the number of HomePods listed for sale on eBay has also declined significantly, which may have helped the product appreciate in value. Still, the demand for Apple's large smart speakers in the online market seems to be there, even though the device has been on the market for nearly 5 years and includes the A8 chip used in the iPhone 6.
It was revealed that Apple is still working on a successor to the HomePod, combining smart speakers, Apple TV features and a FaceTime camera.