Apple announces summer launch for HomePod in Japan

Apple Inc. will launch its HomePod smart speakers in Japan this summer at a retail price of ¥32,800, according to its website, although the exact date has yet to be announced.

On sale since February 2018 in the United States and a number of other countries, the artificial intelligence-enabled speakers have attracted interest for their sound quality and integration with Siri, Apple’s voice-controlled personal assistant that responds to simple questions and commands.

The tube-shaped speakers are 17 centimeters high and 14 cm wide. They weigh 2.5 kilograms.

Competitors Amazon.com Inc. and Google LLC have also each developed smart speakers.

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