Read BGR’s in-depth Apple HomePod review, and you’ll quickly realize that it’s a fantastic smart speaker for any Apple fan. Sure, there are plenty of Echo Dot deals available right now, and Echo speakers are far more popular than Apple’s HomePods lineup. But the 2nd-generation HomePod speaker outshines Echo speakers in several key areas, and a deal on B&H now gets you a discount for the first time ever.
Apple’s 2nd-generation HomePod speaker is currently on sale for $279 in white and $289 in black. Those aren’t huge discounts by any means, but every penny counts. These deals are available from now through the end of the day on Sunday, May 14. B&H says it only has a limited supply of HomePod speakers available at this price, however, so the sale might not last as long as that.
On the outside, the new 2nd-generation Apple HomePod speaker looks a lot like the original model. The touch-sensitive control panel is a bit different, but the overall design is similar enough that you might not even know it’s a new speaker from a distance.
But inside, the 2023 version of Apple’s HomePod has gotten several big upgrades.
The sound quality of the original HomePod was very impressive, but the 2nd-gen version is somehow even better. Apple repositioned several of the speakers so that the new HomePod delivers much fuller sound and better virtual surround sound.
Siri has also gotten some big upgrades that Apple fans will appreciate. Yes, Siri gets a bum rap from the media. But many people who use Siri regularly know that it’s actually much better than it seems when you read about it online. That’s especially true in the 2nd-generation HomePod.
Siri can finally recognize multiple different users, which is a game-changer as far as the HomePod’s utility is concerned. Anyone who owned a 1st-generation model will tell you how frustrating that limitation used to be.
You can also do plenty of other things with Siri on the 2nd-gen HomePod that you could never do on the first. But the biggest difference is improved far-field microphones that make Apple’s voice assistant much more responsive than it used to be.
Again, B&H is currently offering the first-ever discount on 2nd-generation HomePod speakers. You can get as many as you want for $279 in white or $289 in black. Shipping is fast and free, but you can still read our HomePod review while you wait.
