Apple has announced a second-generation HomePod smart speaker, though it hasn’t sold the original since 2021.
That’s a surprise considering the demise of the first HomePod, which apparently wouldn’t sell at the volumes Apple was hoping for.
Strong competition from rival speaker products such as Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Nest could have contributed to this, as could Apple’s high price and focus on the HomePod as a music and entertainment speaker. rather than as an intelligent Siri assistant.
The HomePod 2 adds a few new features but is visually identical to the first version. It joins the smaller HomePod mini on sale at Apple.
When was the HomePod 2 released?
The HomePod 2 was announced by Apple on January 18, 2023.
It’s on sale now in the US, UK, and many other countries around the world, following its release on February 3, 2023.
To get your hands on one, see our separate article on where to buy the HomePod 2.
How much does the HomePod 2 cost?
The HomePod 2 costs $299 / £299 / $349 and comes in midnight (black) or white finishes.
That makes it more expensive than the comparable Amazon Echo Studio ($199/£189), although it was released in 2019, and Google no longer sells the top-end Nest Hub Max ($229/£219).
It looks like Apple is convinced again that it can sell a high-end smart speaker. It has the HomePod mini ($99/£89) to compete with the cheaper Echo and Nest speakers from Amazon and Google.
When it launched in February 2018, the original HomePod sold for $349 / £319, but was permanently discounted by Apple in 2019 to $299 / £279 and sold even less at third-party retailers when it was eventually dropped.
Apple
What are the HomePod 2 specs and features?
The HomePod 2 looks a lot like the original HomePod. It retains the mesh fabric design and touch controls on top. There are no physical buttons but touch controls for volume and play/pause keys.
That screen at the top isn’t a full display, but shows the Siri orb’s purple hues when you ask it things.
The device is powered by Apple’s S7 chipset, which is the same used in the Apple Watch Series 7. This helps with cool features like Handoff, which lets you stream music, podcasts or phone calls from your iPhone or iPad to HomePod or vice versa.
Material support
Importantly, HomePod 2 supports Matter, the global smart home standard officially launched in 2022. Matter ensures smart home products all talk to each other so you can own hardware from multiple different manufacturers.
This means HomePod 2 could be the hub of your smart home setup given that it’s a smart speaker, allowing you to control light bulbs, security cameras and other home accessories. other companies.
Apple also recently updated its Home app for iPhone and iPad, and the HomePod 2 will fully integrate with it.
music chops
The HomePod 2, like the first, is still marketed as a music speaker. Interestingly, it has a 4-inch woofer and five tweeters whereas the original had seven. Knowing Apple’s high standards, this probably won’t come at the expense of audio quality, but maybe a way to lower the costs.
There are five microphones that listen to Siri to hear your commands. These mics can also detect where the HomePod is placed in a room and adjust the sound accordingly around objects or to accommodate being placed next to a wall.
Apple
Spatial audio
Unlike HomePod mini, HomePod 2 supports spatial audio. This is a new standard for immersive audio that is also supported by several Apple AirPods products when used with certain songs on Apple Music.
Different mixes of songs can be heard in Spatial Audio, which places sounds in different planes rather than in a central mix, as if you were in a concert hall. It can look pretty good (sometimes).
Apple still makes it boring to use third-party music services with HomePod, with full functionality and controls only available if you use Apple Music.
New sensors
HomePod 2’s new temperature and humidity sensors will measure indoor levels that you can set to automatically close blinds or turn on fans at times based on those variables.
Apple says HomePod 2 will be able (after a software update) to listen for a smoke or carbon dioxide detector and send a notification to your iPhone to alert you.
Stereo pair
If you’re feeling strapped for cash, buying two HomePods nets you a stereo pair. Not only will this make your music great, but you can hook two of them up to an Apple TV box and use the speakers as an audio output for your TV.
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