It’s no exaggeration to say that the announcement of the second-generation HomePod was a surprise. There have been rumors that a new model is in the works, but the timing was completely unexpected and he arrived Wednesday morning in mid-January following the launch of the M2 Mac mini and MacBook Pro.
But even stranger than the timing is the HomePod itself. HomePod’s site gives little indication that this is a new model, and Apple seems to have put a lot of effort into designing the new HomePod to look and sound just like the old HomePod.early reviewers predictably say The new HomePod is “true to the original”, with “lovely deep” sound, still offering “Expression and Punch”, especially when combined with the second one.
That last point is important. Music is certainly a major selling point for the second-gen model, but Apple positions his HomePod as part of a “cinematic home theater experience.” that’s right, early account The HomePod pair, he said, “are great at adding height in terms of positioning the sound to match the on-screen action.” deliver “Superb clarity, great bass, great dimensional audio.”
Sound quality wasn’t the HomePod’s problem.
Foundry
Of course, sound quality wasn’t the HomePod’s problem. Like the iPod and AirPods, music is one of the HomePod’s main tasks, and it did it very well. Although some audiophiles criticized it for being too bass-heavy, the HomePod was widely regarded as one of the best standalone smart speakers for its price. It was limited to Apple Music (or AirPlay from Apple devices) and couldn’t function as a Bluetooth speaker, but it certainly sounded good! We all know how it ended .Apple discontinued the HomePod in March 2021 following an uncharacteristic price cut, likely due to stagnating sales.
In an interview with Mens Journal, vice president of product marketing Alice Chan said that Apple is “more interested than ever in the sound of richer, larger speakers,” and that’s what Apple thinks about the HomePod. That’s why I decided to revive. Perhaps that’s true, but if the first speakers didn’t survive as expensive and limited music speakers, why didn’t Apple rethink the new HomePod as a soundbar? Not only has it rekindled interest in the industry, but with a radical redesign, the HomePod will instantly become a player in the home theater space. With Apple TV+ and Apple TV 4K, Apple delivers a true one-two punch unmatched by any other speaker manufacturer or streaming service.
Arc de Triomphe
All parts are included. As a stereo pair, the HomePod has two 4-inch high-excursion woofers and his ten horn-loaded tweeters with individual neodymium amp magnets, Sonos Arc Eleven Class D amplifiers, three angled silk dome tweeters, eight 2″ x 3″ oval woofers. In fact, Apple already wants to buy two of his HomePod speakers with Apple TV 4K to “enjoy Dolby Atmos audio for a complete cinematic home theater experience.” What if that included using a pair of rear speakers and his HomePod mini for full surround sound?
All you really need is a longer, flatter design and a pair of HDMI ports. The HomePod soundbar can continue to be a music player, home hub, and always-on Siri speaker, but with a new focus on home theater. Maybe a dialog mode that enhances conversational speech or a movie mode that leans into action and explosions.
Two HomePods are better than one, so why didn’t Apple build a multi-channel soundbar instead?
Foundry
Apple already recommends buying two HomePods for $299 each. So even if the HomePod soundbar is $799 and two HomePod minis cost an extra $199, it’s still cheaper than a Sonos Arc system with two rear One speakers. The design is also much more suitable for home theater use than his two fairly tall speakers, which can block certain views of your TV.
I don’t know about original HomePod sales or new HomePod pre-orders, but I doubt anyone with an original HomePod is rushing to buy a second-generation model. Aside from the temperature sensor and the ability to notify you when an alarm goes off, the press release announcing the speaker could have been the same — nowhere on the site does Apple mention the original HomePod as a point of comparison. yeah.
Instead of a sequel that really builds on the original, Apple’s second attempt at making high-end, high-fidelity speakers for the home feels like a rerun. I’m afraid I’ll end up with
