As we speak is the official launch day for the second-generation HomePod that was launched in January, and we picked one as much as examine it to the unique HomePod that Apple discontinued in 2021.
Design sensible, the second-generation HomePod seems loads just like the first-generation mannequin, that includes the identical rounded design and acoustic mesh cloth. It is ever so barely shorter, and the primary exterior change is the swap to a brand new recessed edge-to-edge contact show.
The show makes a notable aesthetic distinction because it feels extra built-in into the speaker, but it surely has the identical basic operate because the show on the unique HomePod. It lights up and modifications with Siri requests, and varied faucet gestures can be utilized for play/pause, quantity changes, and swapping songs.
With the S7 chip (which is an Apple Watch SoC), Siri prompts faster on the brand new HomePod mannequin, however you most likely will not discover a lot else by way of efficiency variations. As for sound high quality, it is remarkably much like the unique HomePod although Apple has reduce down on the variety of tweeters. There are 5 beamforming tweeters inside, down from seven tweeters, and there are additionally simply 4 microphones as an alternative of six. Regardless of that, the brand new HomePod appears to reply simply as rapidly to Siri instructions.
Apple says that it remade the HomePod after discontinuing the primary mannequin as a result of it began seeing buyer curiosity for the “acoustics of a richer bigger speaker” and since the HomePod workforce loves the form and kind issue of the unique.
For individuals who need one thing that outperforms the HomePod mini, the second-generation HomePod is price selecting up, and Apple has priced it at $299, the identical value as the previous HomePod earlier than it was discontinued.
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