On Wednesday, Apple revealed the HomePod’s successor, the second generation of its HomePod. The price tag of Apple’s Brand-new HomePod comes in at $299.
The original HomePod was replaced by the smaller and cheaper HomePod mini in 2021, so the second generation is a direct sequel. Compared to the more affordable Amazon Echo and Google Nest products, the original HomePod’s $349 price tag was a major deterrent to sales. The price dropped to $299 in 2019 after Apple made the adjustment.
First of all, what has altered? The new smart speaker has “improved acoustics” and smart-home features like temperature and humidity sensors and the ability to alert you to smoke or carbon monoxide alarms.
But, the new Apple HomePod, like the older Mini, uses the company’s voice assistant Siri to respond to the “Hey, Siri” command.
The new speaker will be available on February 3 for $299 (£299, AU$ 479). It is currently available for preorder from the Apple Store. There are two color options: black and white.
There are many similarities between this and the larger HomePod. The new speaker is the same size as its predecessor. It is 6.6 inches tall and 5.6 inches wide. However, the new one includes several significant improvements.
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Apple says that the headphones have a custom woofer and five tweeters. Beamforming is used to direct the sound for a more immersive experience. Apple’s Brand-new HomePod can form a stereo pair with another HomePod of the same model. For instance, you can’t make a pair out of an older HomePod and a brand-new one. Using AirPlay 2, you can connect multiple HomePods to play music in different rooms at once.
The speaker is compatible with Dolby Atmos and other 360-degree audio formats. Movie theaters, homes, and even some recent album remixes are all making use of the Atmos surround-sound standard.
It supports Matter, so it works with the latest smart home devices like light bulbs, doorbells, and cameras. Users don’t have to worry about the device’s compatibility with an Amazon, Google, or Apple smart home hub.
The new $299 HomePod will go up against $200 high-end smart speakers like the Amazon Echo Studio and the Sonos One. As for pricing, the current HomePod Mini is on par with Google’s larger Nest Audio. However, it’s still more expensive than the $49 Google Nest Mini and the majority of Amazon Echo models.
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