Apple initially pushed back the release of the HomePod speaker to “early 2018” to develop the product further. Early might be happening sooner than we think. The company just received official FCC approval for the smart speaker, meaning they can start selling the device at any time. In the US, all devices that make use of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technology need to be submitted to the United States Federal Communications Commission to make sure they meet federal regulations. For comparison’s sake, Apple started selling the iPhone X just under a month after it received FCC approval.
The FCC approval follows rumours that the smart speaker’s supplier Inventec started shipping HomePod units to Apple with the company set to reportedly receive “about 1 million” units, at least according to an industry source that spoke with Taipei Times. But like other Apple products, initial supplies might be limited. Rumour has it Inventec expects revenue from the HomePod to be “limited” in the first quarter because of the low of HomePod devices that are available for shipment.
Source: MacRumors