Apple just unveiled the HomePod 2. With that, customers that couldn’t buy the first generation or just missed a fuller sound made by Apple can now order this second iteration, which will become available on February 3 for $299. Here’s how this product compares to the previous version:
Size and weight: The HomePod 2 is 6.6 inches (168mm) high and 5.6 inches (142 mm) wide. It weighs 5.16 pounds (2.3 kg). Its predecessor is a bit taller and a bit heavier, as it was 6.8 inches high (172mm) and weighed 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg).
Different colors: Both HomePod launched in white, but the new model offers a midnight color, which is a bit bluer than the space gray option released in 2018.
Audio technology: In this section, it’s important to say that the HomePod 2 offers different capabilities than its predecessor in hardware terms. Here’s the comparison:
HomePod 2 (2023)
- 4-inch high-excursion woofer
- Array of five horn-loaded tweeters
- Four-microphone design for far-field Siri
- Internal low-frequency calibration microphone for automatic bass correction
- Advanced computational audio with system sensing for real-time tuning
- Room sensing
- Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos for music and video
- Multiroom audio with AirPlay
- Stereo pair capable
HomePod (2018)
- High-excursion woofer with a custom amplifier
- Array of seven horn-loaded tweeters
- Six-microphone array for far-field Siri
- Internal low-frequency calibration microphone for automatic bass correction
- Direct and ambient audio beamforming
- Computational audio for real-time tuning
- Multiroom audio with AirPlay
- Stereo pair capable
Wireless: HomePod 2 offers the same Bluetooth 5.0 connection as its predecessor, but it offers 802.11n Wi-Fi, while the original one had 802.11ac with MIMO.
The newer HomePod also offers new sensors for temperature and humidity, an accelerometer, an Ultra Wideband chip for device proximity, and Matter support.
The HomePod 2 is now available for pre-order and will launch on February 3rd.
