Many of us considered it an extinct product at this point, but, surprises of life, we can already tell you that we have a new generation of HomePod among us. After a break of almost two years, the Cupertino company has decided to reactivate the sale of its smart speaker top and has presented the second generation of his team, a model that, a priori, seems not to have changed much compared to the previous version but inside which it does present interesting modifications. Today we are just going to stop at them. This is all what has changed from the old to the new HomePod.
HomePod 2, the return
We thought that Apple would not try again with this format, but it has silenced us all. The Cupertino company returns to the fray with its most powerful and complete smart speaker, after it stopped manufacturing its first generation in March 2021 to focus, it said, on its cheapest and most compact model, the home pod mini. But it seems that in Tim Cook's firm they have thought better of it and after a while gaining momentum they return to the charge with a second generation HomePod that we could say that it directly rivals the Amazon Echo Studio.
The new version of the speaker thus has a design similar to its predecessor (cylindrical body with a mesh finish), only now it is slightly shorter - you will hardly notice it unless you compare them - and lighter. Its processor has changed, now betting a S7 chip who focuses on achieving the best computational audio, and now his setup is betting on a subwoofer, four microphones and 5 tweeters with beamforming technology - focused on making wireless transmissions better.
It continues to have an attractive touch-type upper LED panel and, of course, it is operated through Crab, apple smart assistant, to which you can entrust any task, be it related to playing music, such as the execution of many other intelligent commands (reminders, sending messages, turning lights on/off or even searching for your iPhone).
The speaker already comes with compatibility with Matter, the new connectivity standard for smart homes, and also commits to the inclusion of a temperature and humidity sensor, two interesting facts about which you will now have information through Homekit -you can even program, for example, that your smart blinds go down when reach a certain temperature.
Differences between 1st and 2nd generation HomePod
Given all the qualities of the new speakers, we cannot fail to do a comparative review through a table that allows you to check at a glance the features that have changed.
| HomePod 1st Gen (discontinued) | HomePod 2st Gen | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 172 x 142 mm | 168 x 142 mm |
| Weight | 2,5 kg | 2,3 kg |
| Control panel | Touch | Touch |
| chip | A8 | S7 |
| Speakers and subwoofer | 7 tweeters + subwoofer | 5 tweeters + 4-inch subwoofer |
| Microphones | 6 | 4 |
| Spatial Audio/Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
| Connectivity | WiFi 802.11ac | WiFi 802.11n |
| Standard | No | Temperature Humidity |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Matter | No | Yes |
| Colours | Black & white | Black & white |
| Price | 329 euros (at launch it was 349 euros) | 349 Euros |
Price and availability of the new HomePod
The new Apple HomePod can be reserved now online and in the Apple Store app, although it will not be available until next Friday, February 3 -within two weeks.
Its price is planted in the 349 Euros, a cost that is not exactly cheap, but what Apple product is?