Apple Reintroduced the HomePod a Year Ago Today
Apple relaunched the HomePod one year ago today, debuting a second-generation model almost five years after the original model's introduction.
The HomePod was announced at WWDC in 2017 and launched in 2018 after a heavily delayed launch. The device was met with mixed reviews; critics praised its outstanding sound quality but pointed out its high price, missing features, and limited functionality compared to rivals.
Apple dropped its price from $349 to $299 in April 2019 and, in March 2021, the company announced that it was discontinuing the first-generation HomePod, instead shifting its focus to the HomePod mini, which launched the previous year. The decision left a gap in Apple's product lineup for a full-sized smart speaker until the company introduced the second-generation model via a press release on January 18, 2023.
The second-generation HomePod looks virtually identical to the original, although it is 0.2 inches shorter and has a larger edge-to-edge LED touchscreen on top. It also boasts a range of upgrades and changes compared to its 2018 predecessor:
| HomePod (second-generation, 2023) |
HomePod (first-generation, 2018) |
| Refined design with acoustically transparent mesh fabric |
Design with acoustically transparent mesh fabric |
| Larger backlit touch surface that illuminates from edge to edge |
Backlit touch surface |
| S7 chip from 2021's Apple Watch Series 7 |
A8 chip from 2013's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus |
| U1 ultra wideband chip |
– |
| Five horn-loaded tweeters |
Seven horn-loaded tweeters |
| Four far-field beamforming microphones |
Six far-field beamforming microphones |
| 6.6 inches tall |
6.8 inches tall |
| Weighs 5.16 pounds |
Weighs 5.5 pounds |
| Removable power cable |
Fixed power cable |
| Wi-Fi 4 connectivity (802.11n) |
Wi-Fi 5 connectivity (802.11ac) |
| Thread support |
|
| Temperature and humidity sensor |
|
| Sound Recognition |
|
| Available in White and Midnight |
Available in White and Space Gray |
While Apple's potential plans for a third-generation HomePod are unclear a year after the current model was introduced, there are a multitude of rumors surrounding a HomePod with an LCD touchscreen display arriving as soon as 2024.
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Top Rated Comments
Another minor nit is going from glossy to matte plastic for the display/control top. Looks and feels cheap compared to the originals.
Not enough negatives to consider alternatives plus, y'know, Apple ecosystem lock-in and all that.
...except how stupid Siri is
The ARC feature appearing on the Apple TV was what really made it brilliant, I can run my PS5 and Xbox audio out through the HomePods too which is great. Audio on par with a good quality soundbar.