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Apple’s decision to stop making the first HomePod was, to say the least, a surprise. The announcement came only four months after the HomePod Mini was released, and it never seemed likely that the company planned for its family of smart speakers to have only one tiny member.
We always thought that the well-known manufacturing problems and parts shortages that have happened with cars, road bikes, microwaves, and printers were the reason why Apple stopped making the first HomePod before the second one was ready. But as each month went by, we became less sure that a new model was coming.
Apple HomePod 2 specifications
| Dimensions | 5.6 x 6.6 x 5.6 inches / 142 x 168 x 142 mm |
| Weight | 5.16 lbs / 2.3kg |
| Wireless | Bluetooth 5.0, Thread, 802.11n Wi-Fi |
| Finishes | x2 |
Apple HomePod 2 review: Design
The glossy touch panel on the top of the HomePod has always been the best part of its design, so it’s a little disappointing to learn that this has shrunk a few millimetres for the new model. On the old model, the “+” and “-” icons would only light up when music was playing.
Now, they are just low-tech marks on the panel, which is a bit of a letdown. This could be a way to save money or because Apple found that some users were confused by the volume controls that were sometimes there and sometimes not. We think it could be both of those things. You can buy this speaker from its official website.
Apple HomePod 2 review: Features
Even though Siri is built into the HomePod, Apple markets it as a Bluetooth speaker for music first. Compared to Google Assistant, Siri is hard to use because it often doesn’t understand what we want. It responds quickly to simple questions like “What’s the weather going to be like tomorrow?” or “What’s the latest news in my area.” The S7 chipset from Apple makes everything run smoothly. But when you try to get it to play certain songs, it can be much more frustrating.
Apple HomePod 2 review: Sound quality
The sound is a little more forward and aggressive than in the original, which is energising but also makes it sound like it’s coming from a small spot. The old one spreads stereo sound out a bit more, so it sounds like it’s coming from a corner of the room. The new one sounds like it’s coming from a single unit. Listening to Dancing in the Dark made this clear to me.
The original gave me a whole wall of Bruce’s gritty voice in the back of the room, but the new one made it feel like the singing was right at me. All of this comes together in interesting ways in The Prodigy’s Firestarter. The new HomePod 2 starts off with sharp sounds that grab your attention by the… ears much more than they did with the first HomePod.
Apple HomePod 2 review: Price and release date
the HomePod 2 went on sale. It costs $299 and comes in either black or white. I hope this changes, because the HomePod mini comes in different colours, some of which look great in a room. The HomePod 2 will still be the most expensive smart speaker because of this price. The Sonos One costs $219, and the Sonos Era 100 costs $249. The Amazon Echo Studio costs $199. Apple also sells the HomePod mini for $99. Its sound isn’t nearly as big, though.
Final Words
The new Apple HomePod. It’s a big win. We still can’t believe that Apple has been able to make audio better, but it really is something. This is better than any smart speaker, Bluetooth or otherwise, that we have ever used to listen to music or watch TV.
This smart speaker is the best one we have ever heard. For example, we shouldn’t need to be connected to the internet to pause and play music. On-device requests would be a big help here, as would cleaning up the interface for controlling AirPlay, the HomePod, and other audio in iOS 16, which is a mess.
Apple HomePod 2 Ratings
Pros
- Support for Matter
- Temperature, humidity sensors
- Great sound quality
Cons
- No Bluetooth or aux-in
- Siri just isn’t that useful
FAQs
Will Apple ever make a HomePod 2?
The new HomePod from Apple is here. On January 18, 2023, Apple showed off its second-generation HomePod for the first time. It looks exactly like the original HomePod from 2017, but it has a few useful new features and costs only $299 instead of $349.
Does HomePod 2 have battery?
HomePod doesn’t have a battery built in, and you can’t take it with you. It plugs into a wall outlet with the Apple cable that comes with it, and the touchscreen on top of the speaker turns on. Then you hold your phone over the speaker, and if you have an iPhone, the speaker shows up on the screen.
What is better HomePod or Alexa?
Both the Apple HomePod (1st generation) and the Amazon Echo Gen 4 are great speakers for voice assistants, but the Apple is more versatile overall. The Apple has a better soundstage and a more balanced sound right out of the box. It works with Apple AirPlay, while the speaker from Amazon only works with Bluetooth.