Apple has at some point unveiled the HomePod 2, its coming-generation wireless audio speaker. It includes a veritably comparable style to the initial Apple HomePod from 2018, however with an upgraded speaker system that is certainly extra geared towards Dolby Atmos and Spatial Sound. It’ll launch at$ 299/ ₤ 299/AU$ 479. It’s offered to get minute, and will be launched on Friday, February 3 2022.
Also like the initial, it features a high- excursion woofer for deeper bass, and also a range of tweeters around its indirect body– though this time there are 5 tweeters instead of seven in the original, as well as they are currently upward angled, which are likely to help with the absorption of Dolby Atmos tracks.
It features both space- seeing and system- attending optimize audio as it’s playing, which is a slight advancement over the original, which included space seeing– it’s hard to claim how essential difference a’ system detector’ will certainly make– Apple says that it” runs complicated adjusting designs in real time to save dynamic array and also make the most of acoustic performance”. Like the initial( there’s a theme creating then), it’s created to function totally with the Apple community.
It runs Siri as its voice accessory, and also you can fire sound to it over AirPlay 2– however there is no alternative for an aux- heft, or Bluetooth audio from any old device. It does support Bluetooth, still, for smart home purposes– it also sustains the Thread and also Matter wise residence systems, so it acts as a smart house capital for HomeKit as well as Issue devices. You can have the HomePod alone or in a support, and also it collaborates with the Apple television 4K as a speaker system– this means you use it a volition to one of the trendy Dolby Atmos soundbars for every little thing you see through the Apple tv( and also various other sound from your television, if you have the Apple television 4K 2022), though we’ll have to test it to see how it compares for height and also thorough directional sound.
At5.6 elevation in periphery, it’s the same range as the initial HomePod, yet it’s rarely shorter– it’s now6.6 elevation high rather of6.8 altitude. It’s readily available in black and white homestretches, which Apple is calling Twelve o’clock at night and White.
The top is a swirling mass of shade, but it currently covers the whole top of the system, much like the HomePod mini, instead of the tiny streak of shade of the original HomePod. It’s carpeted in the exact same kind of costing acoustically clear material as the original HomePod, which is just great with me– it’s still a terrific- looking device. Analysis does the new HomePod repair the problems of the very first? The original HomePod appears from the outdoors to have been just one of Apple’s least-successful launches in times, with some launch systems reportedly still offered to acquire when it was being discontinued( opens in new tab).
I actually enjoy the HomePod, and I still make use of 2 as my main music speakers in my living-room( as well as I use a brace of HomePod minis on my office), however I am deep in the Apple community. I see images on Apple television, I make use of Apple Music for my tracks, everybody in my home has an apple iphone. The problem with the initial HomePod is that it did not provide any type of inflexibility– at launch, Siri can just play music from Apple Music, and also AirPlay was the only way to get audio to it else. Apple inevitably allowed various other music services to utilize Siri, which assists, however there is still no approved way to get audio to it from an Android phone or anon-Apple laptop computer. This indicates that for people in a combined- zilches ménage, product like the Sonos One makes more sense– it has to do with the exact same dimension, it works with Alexa and also Google Aide, it works with multiple streaming choices( consisting of AirPlay 2), and it’s cheaper.
From what we have actually seen so far, I am uncertain that the new HomePod has addressed the biggest problems of the initial– but possibly Apple is hoping that its drive for Dolby Atmos songs with Spatial Sound as well as lossless- top quality tracks in Apple Songs will push individuals to desire a sophisticated- quality speaker. Due to the fact that make no mistake, the original HomePod was the best- appearing point you obtain for its dimension and also price– not far off the quality of cordless speakers that bring doubly as much from elite hi- fi brands. Based on audio high quality, I expect the brand-new design will split our list of the stylish wireless speakers as well– however will it split the request this moment?
You can have the HomePod alone or in a brace, as well as it functions with the Apple television 4K as a speaker system– this implies you use it a choice to one of the stylish Dolby Atmos soundbars for everything you enjoy with the Apple tv( and also various other audio from your tv, if you have the Apple television 4K 2022), though we’ll have to evaluate it to see exactly how it compares for height and also comprehensive directional audio.
I view photos on Apple Television, I make use of Apple Music for my tracks, every person in my residence has an iPhone. From what we have actually seen so far, I am not sure that the new HomePod has actually responded to the greatest troubles of the original– but maybe Apple is wishing that its drive for Dolby Atmos music with Spatial Sound and also lossless- high quality tracks in Apple Songs will certainly push individuals to want an advanced- quality speaker.
