New Apple HomePod Speaker Capabilities Upgraded Audio, Smart Household Sensors

UPDATE 1/20: Test out our very first “ears on” with the new HomePod.

First Tale:
Just after discontinuing its unique HomePod final yr, Apple is back again with a 2nd-gen smart speaker that involves support for the Subject normal and a developed-in temperature and humidity sensor.

Paired with Siri automations, the sensors can measure indoor environments and management good residence devices to “close the blinds or convert on the enthusiast instantly when a sure temperature is arrived at in a home,” Apple states. (As MacRumors notes(Opens in a new window), Apple has apparently rolled out this features to the existing HomePod mini, also.)

A Sound Recognition attribute rolling out this spring will enable the HomePod to hear for smoke or carbon monoxide alarms and send out alerts to people’s iPhones.

(Credit score: Apple)

The Make any difference normal, meanwhile, is meant to assistance smart home units from distinct makers communicate to each individual other. The new HomePod will link to and command Issue-enabled add-ons, and provide as a dwelling hub.

It’s also a speaker, of system, and Apple is touting a “custom-engineered substantial-tour woofer, strong motor that drives the diaphragm a impressive 20mm, crafted-in bass-EQ mic, and beamforming array of five tweeters all over the foundation.”

Area sensing technological innovation will also enable the HomePod “to decide if it is from a wall or freestanding, and then adapts sound in genuine time.”

The new HomePod faucets into Apple Music, provided you have a membership, as well as unspecified “third-party tunes companies.” We obtained Amazon Music and Pandora to clearly show up when reviewing the HomePod mini, but if you’re a massive Spotify consumer(Opens in a new window), you may perhaps want to go with an Amazon Echo or Google Nest speaker. 

You can also pay attention to iTunes tunes purchases, Apple Tunes Radio, as very well as radio stations from TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and Audacy, as well as Apple Podcasts and news briefings. There’s guidance for AirPlay to share content from an Apple iphone, iPad, Apple Tv or Mac to the HomePod. Or use Handoff, offered your Apple iphone is working iOS 16.3.

HomePods acting as a stereo pair
(Credit history: Apple)

The new HomePod runs an S7 chip and consists of assistance for Spatial Audio tracks with a one HomePod or as a stereo pair. With the latter, the speakers separate left and right channels for “a wider, much more immersive soundstage than conventional stereo speakers,” Apple says.

The catch there is that you need to have two of the exact same design HomePods for a stereo pair, so two second-gen HomePods, not a 2nd-gen paired with a mini. The other choice is multiroom audio, which utilizes AirPlay. The HomePod also pairs with an Apple Television 4K for a household theater knowledge.

The remaining an Apple unit, the voice assistant of decision is Siri. Question her to research by artist, track, lyrics, ten years, style, mood, or exercise. The HomePod can understand up to six voices in a dwelling, so your playlists, reminders, or calendar gatherings don’t get blended up.

HomePod also connects to the Find My app, so you can question Siri to enjoy a audio on misplaced Apple objects or tell you the locale of people who have shared that facts with you.

The new HomePod is a bit smaller than the unique at 6.6 inches tall compared to 6.8 inches. It will come in white or black and characteristics the similar mesh cloth design and style as its predecessor. There’s also a backlit touch surface that lights up, comparable to the HomePod mini.

The HomePod (2nd era) is offered to buy now for $299 it ships on Feb. 3.

The next-gen HomePod is effective with the 2022 Apple iphone SE and Apple iphone 8 and higher than jogging iOS 16.3 and up, the iPad Pro, iPad (5th era) and afterwards, iPad Air (3rd technology) and afterwards, or iPad mini (5th era) and later managing iPadOS 16.3.