HomePod
This HomePod was introduced to the world in January 2023 and is the second generation HomePod and is identical to the first generation HomePod. This is Apple’s largest and most expensive speaker and regarded as the alternative to the HomePod Mini, the difference between this and the first generation HomePod are:
- An additional new temperature.
- Humidity sensor.
- Internal set up.
- New smart home functionality.
There are chances that Apple will release another HomePod in 2024 with a display horizon although this is yet to be confirmed. If you are interested, you might want to put buying the current one on hold and see if you’ll prefer the one to be release in 2024.
This device is a powerhouse among speakers because of its engineered audio technology and an advanced software that delivers a high-fidelity sound throughout the room. It will intelligently adapt to the sound in the room and immersed you in a sound that makes everything you hear amazing.
Features:
- Available in two colours – white and black.
- A compact round designs.
- Covered in a 3D mesh fabric.
- 2 inches shorter in comparison to the first generation.
- Interactive touch screen.
- Supports music playback gestures.
- Alerts you when Siri is activated.
- Serves as a home hub for HomeKit and matter.
- Has a five-tweeter array.
- Each tweeter is fitted with its own drive.
- 4-inch-high excursion woofer.
- Produces crisp, clear distortion free sound.
- Less tweeters compared to prior generation model.
- Four microphones compared to six on the previous model.
- S7 chip first used in Apple watch seven series.
- It uses spatial awareness, room sensing and advanced computational audio.
- The spatial audio is support with Dolby Atmos for music and videos.
- Apple says it offers rich, deep bass and stunning high frequencies.
- It’s integrated with Apple music.
- Compatible with third party music services.
- Two HomePod can be paired for stereo support.
- Second generation model cannot be paired with the original model.
- Compatible with Apple TV 4K.
- It can be used as a substitute for Apple TV speakers.
- Integrated with HomeKit and Airplay 2.
- It can be access through the HomePod App.
- It can be paired with other Airplay 2 speakers for multiroom audio.
- It’s not compatible with a standard Bluetooth speaker.
- It’s not compatible with non-Apple devices for playing content over Bluetooth.
- The HomePod works with all prior speakers implemented by Apple.
- It can differentiate users by their voices.
- Plays ambient sound for background sound therefore giving you a rainfall effect.
- It serves as an intercom which allows messages to be sent to different rooms in the house.
- The included U1 chip enables the feature known as handoff.
- Locate other Apple devices such as iPhone or AirPods with the Find My feature.
- HomePod will detect smoke and carbon monoxide alarm with its sound recognition abilities.
- It measures the indoor environment with its temperature and sensor abilities.
- The HomePod will gather metrics for home automation with HomeKit devices.
- It supports matter and serves as a hub for connecting matter devices which can be control away from home.
Design
- It’s like the discontinued original model.
- It’s a cylindrical body with a flat top.
- A touchscreen display at the top.
- Built in controls to play/pause music.
- Siri waveform is displayed at the top when activated.
- Voice assistant with a clear voice.
- The integrated touch screen is larger compared to the previous HomePod.
- It supports a wider array of colour options.
- A reflection of different functions and statutes.
- It measures at: 6.6 inches (168mm) tall.
- 6 inches (142mm) wide.
- 2 inches shorter in comparison to the previous model.
- It weights 5.16 pounds (2.3kg) lighter as well.
- No external markings on the speaker.
- A removable power cable at the back.
- It was designed with a vibration-damping silicone material.
Touch Gestures
- It supports many gestures using the touch controls at the top.
- Pause and play music with a tap, a double tap swaps to the next track.
- A triple tap takes you back to the previous track.
- A touch and hold activate Siri.
- A visible waveform means Siri is active.
- Tap or tap and hold the “+” button increases the volume.
- Tap or tap and hold the “-” button decreases the volume.
Sound Quality
- Your home will be filled with the best sound because of the solid hardware.
- A customised five array beamforming tweeter is at the bottom.
- Each tweeter has its own driver.
- A powerful acoustic experience.
- A high excursion engineered woofer which is customised.
- A motor drives that diaphragm 20mm for the movement of more air.
- A built-in bass EQ mic which prevents distortion with automatic bass correction.
- It provides rich deep bass and amazing high frequencies.
- Siri connects with the HomePod via its four-microphone array.
- HomePod hears Siri even when the music is loud.
- The S7 system on a chip improves the sound quality via a computational audio.
- S7 replaces the A8 chip that was in the prior version.
- It automatically adjusts and balance the audio thereby taking full advantage of the environment to fill the room with quality sound.
- Spatial awareness detects the rooms around.
- It uses advanced algorithm to keep analysing what on and tune low frequencies for a smooth sound.
- Stereo paired can be a default sound option for Mac, iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV.
Whole Sound Music
Create a soothing atmosphere by bringing multiple HomePod and HomePod mini speakers under one roof and enjoy music throughout your entire home. You can select different songs for different rooms, like Jazz in the kitchen and kid’s music in their room.
HomePod delivers a new level of spaciousness and layering, enjoy a direct sound through its beamforming tweeters such as, primary vocals into the middle of the room, a reflective ambient sound like the back up band, off the wall for a fully immersive listening.
HomePod elevates Apple music to a higher level because the owner can listen to all the favourite artists and songs – spanning every imaginable genre from the highest quality in the comfort of your home.
A combination of multiple HomePod or AirPlay enabled speakers puts in different rooms in a house, the AirPlay 2 protocol controls the audio in every room. HomePod supports the following audio sources:
- Apple Music.
- iTunes Music.
- Third Party Music Services.
- Apple Music Radio or episodes on demands.
- Radio stations from TuneIn.
- iHeart Radio.
- Apple Podcast.
- News Briefings.
- Remastered ambient sounds.
AirPlay session can be imitated directly on an iPhone and iPad from a HomePod with the Siri’s voice commands starting with IOS 17. This makes it so easy to play music from services like Spotify that is not compatible with HomePod.
Cinematic Experience
Enjoy a home cinema experience with the combination of HomePod and Apple TV 4K to enjoy the Dolby Atmos audio for a complete home cinema experience. You will enjoy a mind-blowing visual and a world class content.
Spatial Audio
You can listen to specially designed spatial audio tracks because HomePod is compatible with spatial audio with Doby Atmos which are available through Apple music and other services. You will experience an immersive, multidimensional audio experience via spatial audio with Dolby Atmos which allow artists to mix music in a way that produces a sound like notes coming all around you.
Directional audio re filtered and the frequencies are subtly adjusted by the spatial audio that each ear receives to place sound virtually everywhere in a space for an immersive listening experience.
Siri Integration
HomePod and Siri works together, Siri uses its voice assistant to control the speaker, “Hey Siri” commands will activate Siri and will perform various functions found on other devices such as the iPhone.
Siri will perform wonders such as:
- Recommend music based on preferences.
- Helps to discover music.
- Notices user’s likes.
You can also give command to Siri such as:
- Play something new
- Who’s singing?
- Play more like that.
This image above contains a sample of music-related Siri commands which was shown on stage at the WWDC keynote, Siri will also play content from your:
- iCloud Music Library.
- Apple Music.
- iTunes Purchases.
Siri serves as a home assistant therefore not limited to music and will provide answers to questions around series of topics such as:
- Sending messages.
- Making phone calls.
- Setting multiple timers.
- Offers weather updates.
- Make calendar appointments.
- And more.
Sir will answer questions from anyone in the house and recognises different voices serves as a speaker and microphone for a voice-based call. Start a phone conversation on your phone and switch over to the HomePod using the handoff.
The top of the HomePod lights up and display waveform when Siri is activated and provides audio feedback. Siri plays a confirmed tone to affirm that a request will be honoured.
Smart Home Functionality
The second generation HomePod main purpose is being the home hub just like the original HomePod and HomePod mini. It enables a remote access for HomeKit devices so that you can access them when you are home and away.
It also built as a matter hub therefore it works matter-enabled accessories, matter is a smart home standard designed to work on various platforms and serves as an alternative to HomeKit that performs in the same way.
More Features
Intercom – Siri commands makes it possible for the HomePod to be used for household communication, send a message from one Apple device to a HomePod in another room of the house refer to as room-to-room communication.
Enhanced Dialogue – Dialogue is clearer with the enhanced dialogue that boost the volume of spoken voices which makes dialogue to hear over effects, action, and music in am over or TV show when paired with Apple TV 4K. Whispers are clear and heard among music and background sounds, TV shows and movies never looked nor sound so vivid.
EARC – This permits the HomePod to be used as speakers for all connected peripherals.
Handoff – Hand off apple music playing on HomePod to an iPhone and vice versa, the UI chip in the HomePod makes it possible by placing the iPhone closer to the speaker and the song will be transferred.
Find My – HomePod will play a sound on nearby Apple devices because of the Find My integration, locate family and friends with Siri and location will be shared on the owner’s HomePod.
Doorbell Announcements – The connection between the HomeKit and doorbells enables Siri on HomePod to announce if someone is at the door.
Ambient Sounds – Ambient sounds like rain, ocean and forest were remastered by Apple to make this sounds better therefore can be added to scene, automation, and alarms.
Accelerometer
A new feature in this HomePod is called accelerometer and it adjusts the sound of the HomePod in real time if it’s move to a new area in the room.
Temperature and Humidity
HomePod has a built-in temperature and a humidity sensor in order word can detect the condition of the room, these metrics are used to activate automations in HomeKit or matter devices.
Optimises Acoustics in Real Time.
Advanced computational audio innovations are unlocked by Apple silicon in the HomePod, it runs a complex tuning model in real-time from a new system sensor to preserve dynamic range and maximise the acoustics performance.
In Conclusion
