Apple Inc (NASDAQ:APPL) is to launch its smart speaker in two weeks after a few setbacks delayed its release.
The iPhone maker said its HomePod would be available in the US, UK and Australia from February 9. It will start taking pre-orders from January 26.
But in Germany and France, it won't be available until later in the spring.
Christmas missed
Apple had originally planned to release the US$349 voice-controlled speaker in December, but in November the company revealed it would be delayed for unspecified reasons, causing it to miss the key Christmas shopping period.
The HomePod, which Apple unveiled in June, will compete against rival smart speakers from Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Alphabet’s Google (NASDAQ:GOOG).
Apple said the speaker sets itself apart with a higher-quality sound and integration with its music subscription service.
“It brings advanced audio technologies like beam-forming tweeters, a high-excursion woofer and automatic spatial awareness, together with the entire Apple Music catalogue and the latest Siri intelligence, in a simple, beautiful design that is so much fun to use,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing.
The group’s voice assistance Siri is integrated into the speaker, allowing users to ask for music suggestions, send a message, set an alarm, check the news or weather and control HomeKit smart home accessories.
It is not the first time Apple has run into delays with product launches. The iPhone X launch was delayed last year due to supply chain issues and the release of its AirPods wireless headphones was also pushed back in 2016.
Apple shares added 0.23% in New York to US$177.40.