Apple HomePod (second-gen) evaluate: taking part in it protected

Apple’s “all-new” HomePod speaker is extra of a do-over than a successor. In contrast to when it introduces a brand new iPhone or Mac, there are zero references to the unique HomePod in any of Apple’s advertising and marketing supplies. That may appear a bit odd, however in context, it is sensible. For pretty much as good as it might have sounded, and regardless of six years of improvement time, the inaugural HomePod was a flop as a consequence of its excessive worth and Siri’s shortcomings. Apple discontinued it in March 2021, leaving the $99 HomePod Mini as its lone sensible speaker for practically two years. “We’re focusing our efforts on HomePod Mini. We’re discontinuing the unique HomePod,” Apple flatly stated on the time.

Prioritizing the Mini was the best choice: it has developed into a really helpful sensible dwelling gadget that sounds fairly good for its very compact dimension. And to its credit score, Apple has continued bringing new options to the unique HomePod lengthy after it left retailer cabinets, although some house owners have encountered {hardware} reliability points through the years. 

However you possibly can solely have a “Mini” product with out a bigger companion for thus lengthy. Now there’s as soon as once more a full-size HomePod within the combine. And simply by wanting on the $299 system, which is on the market beginning on February third, it’s clear that Apple has chosen to remodel its first idea slightly than begin over from scratch. There are some new sensors and guts inside, together with extra sensible dwelling capabilities, however anybody who has seen (or heard) an unique HomePod will discover this one very acquainted. That is clearly not the revamped HomePod with a display that has been rumored (and lots of have been hoping for). 

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And regardless of now costing $50 much less, the brand new HomePod nonetheless calls for a a lot greater premium than different sensible audio system, together with Amazon’s $199 Echo Studio and the $219 Sonos One. The unique HomePod wasn’t the hit Apple hoped it’d grow to be, and the brand new mannequin doesn’t change the formulation a lot.

Because the resident dwelling theater and audio reviewer right here at The Verge, I (Chris) have been testing the ins and outs of the brand new HomePod’s efficiency as a wise speaker. My colleague Jennifer Pattison Tuohy has been getting deep into the weeds of its sensible dwelling and digital assistant capabilities, and we have now included her perspective in a while.

The second-generation HomePod appears to be like similar to the unique. It’s nonetheless wrapped in spongy mesh cloth, and the newer mannequin is barely shorter and lighter than the primary. That’s not the type of factor you’ll spot simply eyeballing them facet by facet, however you will discover that the top-side LED animations now span all the shiny floor. These had been confined to a a lot smaller round cutout on the OG HomePod; now, the entire thing glows everytime you work together with Siri or push one of many quantity buttons. (These quantity buttons are completely printed on the floor this time; they had been backlit on the previous mannequin and will thus disappear from view, which is a factor quantity controls actually shouldn’t do.) The precise animations are very related: they’re nonetheless simply swirling colours — solely larger this time. You’re not getting a full touchscreen.

The shiny high part is now set into the highest, which makes it a lot more durable to scrub, sadly. (Put together for mud to embed itself within the edge the place the panel meets the material physique.) Apple is providing the brand new HomePod in “midnight” — let’s not child ourselves, it’s black — and white. Apparently, enjoyable colours simply aren’t allowed for the corporate’s higher-end gadgets; solely the Mini will get these. Many unique white HomePods have developed stains and different grime through the years — it’s seemingly this new one can have related points.

Fortunately, Apple has switched to a totally user-removable energy twine. It was potential to take away the unique’s with some drive, however now it’s a lot simpler. And Apple is utilizing a standard figure-8 connector as a substitute of the unusual proprietary plug from the primary mannequin. I swapped the included braided twine for a ubiquitous black energy cable from one other product, and the HomePod labored simply fantastic, albeit with out the spherical cap absolutely sealing off the opening. At the very least this makes life simpler in case your unique energy cable is by some means broken.

Underneath the HomePod’s cloth shell lie different adjustments: there are actually 5 beamforming tweeters dealing with the upper frequencies (down from seven within the OG mannequin), 4 microphones (in comparison with six final time), and the chip powering every part is Apple’s S7, which first debuted within the Apple Watch Collection 7, as a substitute of the iPhone-based A8 discovered within the first HomePod. The discount in mic depend hasn’t affected Siri’s listening to: Apple’s assistant nonetheless picked up my voice requests over music at reasonable quantity. As for the processor, the S7 offers the HomePod extra headroom for Apple’s audio tuning capabilities. Apparently, the change in SoC additionally resulted in a downgrade for Wi-Fi (from Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 4), however I haven’t seen any issues.

The second-gen {hardware} additionally positive factors a U1 Extremely Wideband chip, that means it has the identical handy handoff trick because the HomePod Mini: simply deliver a supported iPhone close to the contact floor, and also you’ll be prompted to play no matter you’re listening to on the speaker — or vice versa for those who’re about to depart the home. Homeowners of the iPhone 14 Professional and Professional Max will even see a HomePod icon seem within the Dynamic Island once they’re in shut proximity to the speaker; you possibly can long-press to see what’s taking part in or modify quantity whereas multitasking. 

The brand new HomePod consists of temperature and humidity sensors related to people who had been quietly constructed into the HomePod Mini (however dormant till only in the near past). And final, Apple says there’s an “all-new system sensor” that enhances the HomePod’s real-time audio changes. The unique speaker robotically optimized its sound primarily based on a room’s acoustic traits, and the thought behind the added sensor is to step up these background tuning capabilities. 

In relation to audio efficiency, an important part of Apple’s new HomePod stays the high-excursion woofer, which could be pushed as much as 20mm to push as a lot air as potential and maximize bass response. Highly effective lows are the place the HomePod units itself other than equally sized audio system just like the Sonos One, Amazon Echo, and Nest Audio. However bass isn’t flabby or overpowering: right here once more, the interior mics are dynamically monitoring and calibrating output to maintain the low-end kick highly effective however tight and clear.

Similar to the primary time round, Apple Music continues to be core to the HomePod expertise. You possibly can set a couple of different companies like Pandora and Deezer because the default for Siri tune requests, however Spotify sadly nonetheless isn’t taking part in ball. Different alternate options like Amazon Music and YouTube Music can’t fill the default position, both. It’s potential to AirPlay audio from any of those apps on an Apple system to the HomePod in a matter of seconds, however the lack of deeper integration implies that this $300 speaker continues to be primed for Apple Music subscribers initially. There’s nonetheless no help for Bluetooth playback nor an aux enter, and getting a turntable and HomePod to play good is a bit more tough than in Sonos’ universe. The HomePod’s existence continues to be centered round Apple Music and Siri.

How does it sound, then? After a number of days of listening to the brand new HomePod (each solo and in a stereo pair), I nonetheless assume its sound signature stays true to the unique HomePod. When you had been a fan of that speaker, you’ll be glad with the second-gen model. Certain, you can hear refined variations in how music is rendered when evaluating each generations facet by facet with the identical observe. The newer HomePod would possibly deliver out a guitar solo with barely extra emphasis than the unique. However the central traits are the identical. Nilay’s unique HomePod evaluate went in-depth on Apple’s method to audio processing and virtualization, and though the motive force configuration has modified, the underlying methodology is unchanged. 

Apple’s real-time tuning focuses on crystalline vocals and tries to construct a wealthy, full steadiness by analyzing its setting and bouncing pontificate close by partitions. It normally succeeds at that, and because it’s firing sound throughout its sides, you don’t want to fret about being in a candy spot for the perfect listening expertise. 

However there’s not a lot heat to the HomePod’s audio. My editor Dan Seifert described it as medical — like what lab exams would possibly present to be the best sound signature — and he most well-liked the sound traits of Sonos audio system compared. I’d rank a single HomePod above the preferred sensible audio system from Amazon and Google in general efficiency. And I personally want its wider sound subject to a Sonos One. However bear in mind that you could’t modify the HomePod’s sound; it disregards no matter EQ preferences you’ve set for Apple Music in your iPhone. All you’re capable of do is briefly cut back the bass in settings for those who’re having a late-night listening celebration. 

Even at $299, a solo HomePod can solely achieve this a lot. Combining two of them as a stereo pair lets Apple Music’s lossless streaming library shine extra. And spatial audio is best realized and extra convincing on this situation than the gimmicky expertise you get from headphones and earbuds. With two HomePods firing a digital array of soundbeams all through the room, sure spatial tracks do really feel extra atmospheric, although poorly blended Atmos tracks are nonetheless worse off than stereo. 

However there could be software program bugs. Often, my HomePod evaluate items appeared to get confused about whether or not they need to play a spatial audio observe or simply persist with lossless as a substitute. Various occasions, the Now Taking part in display didn’t present a badge for both Atmos or lossless. Frustratingly, you possibly can’t toggle spatial audio on or off with voice instructions, which looks as if an choice that must be in there. (With out it, it’s good to enterprise deep into the Residence app to seek out settings for lossless and spatial audio playback.) And Siri nonetheless tends to surrender on what must be simple music requests. “Sorry, that was taking too lengthy” is a response you’re assured to listen to greater than as soon as. 

Exterior of a way more immersive stereo music expertise, the opposite key benefit of linking two HomePods is the power to make use of them as wi-fi audio system for an Apple TV. (This may be executed with a single unit, however the outcomes are much less spectacular.) With the most recent Apple TV 4K and a contemporary TV, it will get higher: you possibly can plug the streaming participant into your TV’s eARC port and set the HomePods to deal with audio from every part coming out of your tv. 

I used to be shocked at how effectively this labored when gaming with a related PS5; I performed a sport of MLB The Present and seen no apparent latency or audio sync points throughout the crack of a bat or smack of a catcher’s glove. And people woofers within the HomePods do an excellent job at lending some bass punch to motion pictures, reveals, and video games. The truth that this all works easily — the eARC function solely got here out of beta with the latest launch of tvOS 16.3 — has me satisfied that Apple has extra dwelling theater merchandise within the pipeline. Why trouble placing in a lot work in any other case? Because it stands now, a pair of HomePods will outperform many price range and entry-level soundbars. Their spectacular constancy implies that motion pictures and music each sound nice, and the beamforming tweeters do an excellent job spreading sound round you.

Clearly, this isn’t an inexpensive proposition: you’ll be out $600 by shopping for two HomePods. However for those who can spring the money, it’s a kind of Apple ecosystem tips that come collectively higher than I anticipated. 

Talking of ecosystem, the HomePod’s secondary responsibility is to function a wise dwelling hub and digital assistant. For extra on that, I’ll go issues off to our resident professional Jennifer Pattison Tuohy.

Similar to the unique HomePod, the brand new HomePod could be an Apple Residence Hub, the controlling brains of your Apple Residence-based sensible dwelling. However the brand new mannequin additionally comes with a quicker processor and a few new sensible home-specific applied sciences, comparable to a Thread radio and temperature and humidity sensing options.

Each HomePods may act as Matter Controllers to onboard Matter gadgets to your own home community, however the second gen’s Thread radio makes it a Thread border router, too. This allows you to use Thread-enabled gadgets in Apple Residence and in Matter. Most of these items might be extra related sooner or later — there are only a few Matter-compatible gadgets obtainable, and those that work with Matter in the present day don’t embody any that didn’t beforehand have HomeKit variations.

Notably, with all these upgrades, the $299 HomePod and the $99 HomePod Mini now have the identical sensible dwelling capabilities, together with Matter and Thread help. There’s nothing distinctive that you simply want the brand new HomePod for in relation to the sensible dwelling. A Mini can do all the identical tips.

And since the brand new HomePod has the identical glowing high panel because the HomePod Mini (learn: it doesn’t have an actual touchscreen), the principle method you employ it to regulate your sensible house is by way of voice instructions to Siri. 

Siri is now a greater sensible dwelling assistant than when the primary HomePod debuted in 2018. Not solely are there extra gadgets that work with Apple Residence (and, because of Matter, extra coming quickly), however Siri has been catching up with opponents in key areas like setting a number of timers and responding to future instructions comparable to “flip the lights off in an hour.” It even lastly bought a “Private Replace” function that runs via the climate, your subsequent appointments, and the information. It’s restricted in customization and content material in comparison with related choices from Amazon Alexa and Google Residence, however continues to be helpful. I notably like that it adjusts the content material all through the day slightly than focusing simply on the morning.

New options with the most recent iOS and HomePod software program replace to 16.3 embody with the ability to ask Siri the place your family and friends are via the HomePod, organising Apple Residence automations with simply your voice, and getting much less wordy responses to fundamental sensible dwelling instructions. Extra safety-focused options are additionally coming proper across the nook. 

However you continue to can’t get Siri to learn you a recipe (it makes you go to your cellphone and repeat the request). At the very least ship the recipe to my iPhone or iPad. Or, even higher, give me a HomePod with a usable display connected. You possibly can’t change the wake phrase (although you possibly can change the voice to totally different accents and genders), and it’s important to be exact with syntax when issuing requests. 

I would like Siri to answer two or extra instructions without delay — “Lock the entrance door and switch off the kitchen lights” — however it could actually’t deal with that. Talking of locks, I don’t like needing a cellphone close to me to verify an unlock command. Google and Amazon allow you to use pin codes, that are clunky however don’t require you to achieve for one more system. I’d additionally wish to see extra choices for alarm sounds, there’s only one, and it’s… peppy. Jarring, some would possibly say. Extra alarm tones doesn’t look like an enormous ask (though you possibly can select one thing from Apple Music or the newly remastered ambient sounds as a substitute). On that notice, extra doorbell ringtones for HomeKit video doorbells could be good, too.

It’s the dearth of options like this that make Siri much less versatile than Amazon’s Alexa, with its seemingly infinite choice of third-party expertise (Siri continues to be tightly locked down) and huge choices for customizability. 

Apple’s voice assistant can also be nonetheless much less useful for normal information than Google’s Assistant with its direct conduit to Google’s wealth of data. I requested Siri who would play within the Tremendous Bowl the day after the groups had been determined, and it couldn’t inform me. Google knew instantly (for that matter, so did Alexa). 

However for many wants within the sensible dwelling, being a know-it-all is just not a requirement. I want my assistants a bit dumber over being buggy as hell or sluggish to regulate my dwelling however sizzling on sports activities scores. Siri is usually a greater sensible dwelling controller due to its tighter focus and extra sturdy native management. The truth is, Siri has been my go-to alternative for sensible dwelling management for a pair years now, and the brand new HomePod solidifies that alternative.

In testing the pace and responsiveness to voice instructions, the brand new HomePod carried out beautifully, responding to all requests promptly and noticeably quicker than the Mini. Facet by facet, it was all the time the one to take the request. I bought far fewer “One sec” and “Nonetheless on it” responses to instructions than I’m used to with the Minis. And the HomePod heard me constantly no matter what different audio was taking part in — encompass sound on my TV from my Sonos system or loud music on the HomePod itself.

The largest downside I had with Siri on the HomePod is just not associated to its {hardware} particularly however to Siri and the Apple Residence ecosystem on the whole. Private requests are a large number. To be honest, I’ve struggled to get private requests to work on all the foremost sensible dwelling platforms. Google flatly refuses so as to add my husband’s voice to its database, and the Amazon Echo Present, with its visible ID choice, constantly confuses my daughter and me. However right here is the place Apple has the benefit: each member of my household has a private iOS system, so it has the context the others lack. 

Regardless of this, I couldn’t add all my members of the family to my Apple Residence and have private requests — that are primarily based on voice recognition — work reliably. It will continuously ask, “Who is that this?” once I made a request, comparable to so as to add a Reminder or ship a textual content message. Typically it will work once I answered with my identify (an annoying further step), however different occasions, it will say, “I don’t acknowledge your voice. You want to arrange private requests within the Residence app.” (They had been already arrange).

With my children faraway from my Apple Residence, I might make private requests. And it’s an extremely helpful function that works extra easily than comparable choices on Amazon’s Alexa (I’ve not examined Google Assistant integrations with a Pixel). I liked with the ability to hear and reply to textual content messages on the speaker, arrange reminders, and get an replace on what’s on my calendar. I simply want my complete household might do that.

Surprisingly, the brand new capability to create automations together with your voice is extra helpful than I’d anticipated. In my 5 days of testing, I created about half a dozen automations on the fly. “Hey Siri, shut the eating room shades every single day at 6PM.” “Hey Siri, lock the entrance door every single day at 9PM. “Hey Siri, prove all of the lights at 10PM every single day.” My automations web page within the Residence app is a little bit of a large number now, and I would love the choice to disable with voice, too, however it’s been a useful addition.

I’m additionally having fun with the brand new choice to seek out your family and friends via the HomePod. I can simply ask the place my daughter is and get an approximate location as she travels dwelling on the college bus or examine in on my husband throughout his busy work day (he’s a firefighter / paramedic, so he’s by no means in a single place for lengthy). Everybody has to opt-in to share their location within the Discover My app for this to work, however as soon as it’s permissioned, it’s simpler than pulling out my cellphone and opening the Discover My app (which dangers sucking me into another distraction whereas I’m there).

Maybe probably the most helpful new sensible dwelling function of the HomePod is built-in temperature and humidity sensing (once more, that is additionally on the Mini). The speaker can inform you how sizzling it’s in your bed room or how humid it’s in your lavatory (assuming that’s the room it’s in) simply by asking Siri. The readings present within the Residence app, too, and you should utilize the sensors to arrange Apple Residence automations when the temperature or humidity drops beneath or rises above a sure stage.

Utilizing an automation, I managed an Ecobee sensible thermostat from a temperature studying off one HomePod, and it labored reliably. Nevertheless, it took a couple of minutes longer to regulate to temperature adjustments than the stand-alone sensors I examined it towards. Ecobee has its personal exterior temperature sensors, however many sensible thermostats don’t include or work with room sensors, or it’s possible you’ll not need further little white containers in all of your rooms. I additionally efficiently tied the temperature studying to a wise plug to activate a fan related to it.

Ideally, I’d like to see Apple add movement sensing into its HomePods, as Amazon has executed with its Echo audio system (which additionally measure temperature). Amazon’s implementation of this makes use of ultrasound tech and is surprisingly good (though not but quick sufficient for one thing like turning on the lights). The HomePod has its U1 Extremely Wideband chip, which might probably be used for movement sensing, or maybe Apple might determine one other answer. 

With the brand new sensors, Apple warns they’re solely “optimized” for temperatures between 59 levels Fahrenheit (15 Celsius) and 86 levels Fahrenheit (30 Celsius) and relative humidity round 30 to 70 p.c. This isn’t a large margin, and the corporate additionally says accuracy isn’t assured if the speaker is taking part in music for lengthy durations of time at excessive volumes — seemingly as a result of the elements warmth up on this situation. 

Regardless of these limitations, the temperature readings had been largely correct in comparison with three different sensors in shut proximity — an Eve Climate, an Aqara TVOC, and an Ecobee room sensor. They had been constantly all inside a level or two of one another, however, as famous, the HomePod took longer to regulate to adjustments. The humidity readings had been extra assorted — with the HomePod studying 60 p.c when the Eve was 59 and the Aqara 64. It’s value noting that Apple’s Residence automations for humidity solely modify in increments of 5 p.c.

Coming in an replace this spring, the brand new HomePod (and the HomePod Mini) will be capable of hear for the sound of smoke and CO alarms going off in your house and ship an alert to your cellphone. Amazon Alexa’s audio system do that with its free model of the Guard function, and Nest sensible audio system supply it with a Nest Conscious subscription. Keep in mind none of those are precise smoke detectors. They’re all simply listening for the distinctive signatures of the alarms you have already got and can ship a notification once they hear it. 

Because it’s not reside but, I couldn’t take a look at the sound recognition. However Apple confirmed me a demo, and when the HomePod hears the alarm, the Residence app sends a vital alert notification to your cellphone. You possibly can faucet on this to begin two-way discuss via the HomePod and examine in for those who’re not dwelling. You possibly can’t, nonetheless, tie the alert into some other sensible dwelling automations, to say, set off the lights to activate, the HVAC system to close off, and the doorways to unlock — all helpful issues to have occur robotically in an precise hearth or carbon monoxide emergency.

Apple says sound recognition would require the up to date Residence structure, which it launched after which pulled late final 12 months following person complaints. As this function is slated for spring, we are able to cautiously count on to see the brand new (improved?) Residence structure roll out across the similar time. 

Talking of the brand new “structure”: Apple has stated it “will enhance the efficiency and reliability of the equipment in your house.” I up to date to the system when it was first provided, and the largest change I’ve seen is extra stability round which Residence hub the is in cost. It’s resolutely caught with my solely hardwired Apple TV (second-gen), whereas prior, it usually defaulted to a HomePod Mini. 

Since I’ve had the brand new HomePods put in, one or the opposite has acted as the principle hub often, however the Residence app principally reverts to the Apple TV with the ethernet connection. Not with the ability to prioritize which Residence hub is the principle one has been an ongoing frustration for me with Apple Residence, as automations and responses had been typically much less dependable when the Mini was in cost. Whereas it’s nonetheless not an choice, it does look like the Residence app is selecting the extra dependable system by itself now.

If you’re absolutely immersed within the Apple world and are on the lookout for a high-quality speaker with hands-free Siri voice instructions, the brand new HomePod will make you very comfortable. When you owned the unique and are in want of a substitute (or if its efficiency has grown sluggish), you gained’t be upset. (Until the thought of getting to switch a $350 speaker in a half-decade or much less disappoints you, which could be very honest.) The HomePod didn’t break any gross sales data, however loads of first-gen consumers nonetheless swear by it.

However for those who’re much less choosy about sound high quality, simply go for the HomePod Mini. The 2 share equivalent sensible dwelling capabilities, and paying an additional $200 for richer, larger audio gained’t make sense for lots of people. When you’re not married to Apple’s ecosystem, then sensible audio system from Amazon, Google, or Sonos can present practically pretty much as good audio high quality with much more sensible dwelling options at a fraction of the HomePod’s worth.

Apple would possibly name the second-gen HomePod “all-new,” however in actuality, this product needed to be a straightforward raise for the corporate. Greater than the rest, its restoration within the lineup fills a self-inflicted hole and buys Apple a few years to work on extra bold merchandise destined for our houses. However with opponents like Sonos planning main new merchandise for the approaching months, I can’t assist however ponder whether Apple performed it too protected with this $299 speaker — irrespective of how good it might sound.