To say that the announcement of the 2nd generation HomePod came as a surprise is an understatement. Although there were rumors that a new model was in the works, the timing was completely unexpected, arriving on a Wednesday morning in mid-January after the launch of the M2 Mac mini and MacBook Pro.
But what’s even weirder than the timing is the HomePod itself. The HomePod site gives little indication that this is a new model, and Apple has apparently gone to great lengths to design a new HomePod that looks and sounds like the old HomePod. Predictably, early reviewers say the new HomePod “stays true to the original” with “beautiful and deep” sound that still packs “expression and punch,” especially when paired with a second .
This last point is essential. While music is certainly a major selling point with the 2nd generation model, Apple is also positioning HomePod as part of your “cinematic home theater experience,” a feature that was not initially available when the first model launched. Indeed, early reviews say that a pair of HomePods are “excellent at adding height in terms of positioning sounds to match the on-screen action” and offer “good clarity, nice bass, and a large sound”.
Sound quality has never been HomePod’s problem.
Foundry
Of course, sound quality has never been HomePod’s problem. Like the iPod and AirPods, music was HomePod’s main job and it did it extremely well. While some audiophiles criticized it for being too bass-heavy, the HomePod was widely considered one of the best standalone smart speakers at its price point. It was limited to Apple Music (or AirPlay from an Apple device) and couldn’t just function as a Bluetooth speaker, but it certainly sounded great! We all know how it ended – Apple discontinued HomePod in March 2021 following an unusual price drop, likely due to declining sales.
In an interview with Mens Journal, Alice Chan, vice president of product marketing, said that Apple has “heard more interest than ever in the acoustics of a richer speaker,” which is why Apple decided to resurrect the HomePod. That might be true, but if the first didn’t survive as an expensive and limited music speaker, why not re-imagine the new HomePod as a soundbar? Not only would that have turned heads and revived interest in the speaker, but a sweeping redesign would also instantly make HomePod a player in the home theater space. With Apple TV+ and Apple TV 4K, Apple would have a real punch unmatched by any other speaker maker or streaming service.
Triumphal arch
The pieces are all there. As a stereo pair, HomePod has two 4-inch high-excursion woofers and 10 horn tweeters with individual neodymium amplifier magnets, more than enough to rival the Sonos Arc’s 11 Class-D amplifiers, three angled silk dome tweeters and eight 2-inch-by-3-inch elliptical woofers. In fact, Apple already wants you to buy two HomePod speakers with Apple TV 4K “to enjoy Dolby Atmos audio for a full cinematic home theater experience.” What if that included using a pair of HomePod minis for rear speakers and full surround sound?
The only thing it would really need is a longer, flatter design and a pair of HDMI ports. A HomePod soundbar could still be an always-on music player, home hub, and Siri speaker, but with a new focus on home theater. Maybe a Dialogue mode that enhances conversation or a Movie mode that leans more towards action or explosions.
Two HomePods are better than one, so why didn’t Apple build a multi-channel soundbar instead?
Foundry
Apple already encourages you to buy two HomePods at $299 each. So even though a HomePod soundbar costs $799 and $199 more for two HomePod minis, it would still be cheaper than a Sonos Arc system with two rear One speakers. And the design would be much friendlier for home cinema use than two rather tall speakers that could obstruct some views of your TV.
I’m not aware of the original HomePod’s sales figures or pre-orders of the new one, but I doubt anyone with an original HomePod is rushing to buy a 2nd-gen model. Other than a temperature sensor and the ability to tell you when it hears an alarm, the press releases announcing the speakers might have been the same – Apple doesn’t even mention the original HomePod on the site as a point of comparison .
Instead of a sequel that really builds on the original, Apple’s second attempt at a high-end, high-fidelity speaker for the home feels like a rerun. And I’m afraid it has the same ending as the first one.
