After almost two years without a HomePod, Apple has introduced the second-generation HomePod that takes on the baton from the original one, which was introduced way back in 2018. While the two look alike, there are many changes inside, but what are they, and what is new and improved? Let us compare the two HomePods and find out what is different between the new second-generation HomePod and the original HomePod.
HomePod (2nd gen) vs HomePod: Design
At first glance, it will be difficult to notice any difference because there is not a major difference between the two. The HomePod (2nd gen) and the original one look uncannily similar. The entirety of the HomePod comes wrapped in a soft fabric mesh made of 100% recycled materials, with an edge-to-edge touch display on the top, whether you choose the original or the new one.
No significant cosmetic change might bother some, but it makes sense if you think about how you can pair it up with your older HomePod if you want a multiroom setup without having an odd one out.
The new HomePod (2nd gen) also comes in two colours – White and Midnight, and even has the same shade as the White and Space Grey, but the Midnight could have a much darker hue than that of Space Grey.
The new one is a little shorter at 6.6 inches compared to the older one, which was 6.8 inches tall. Also, the new HomePod weighs less compared to the older one, at 2.34 KG compared to 2.49 KG.
HomePod (2nd gen) vs HomePod: Audio
The new HomePod still has a large 4 inches high-excursion woofer for the main speaker as the original one. However, the new HomePod has two fewer tweeters than the original but serves the same purpose of providing room-filling audio through background audio and certain frequencies. Both the new and old HomePods use microphones to understand the speaker’s placement in a room and adjust audio accordingly.
The HomePod (second-gen) also has an all-new system sensor that runs complex tuning models in real-time to preserve dynamic range and maximise acoustic performance. Furthermore, the new HomePod improves on the computational audio thanks to the new chipset.
HomePod (2nd gen) vs HomePod: Features
There are a whole lot of new things, but first, there is a new chipset inside – the S7 chip – the same chip that powers the Watch Series 7. The other new thing that enables a lot of new opportunities for the HomePod is the Matter connectivity.
The HomePod (2nd gen) brings back some of the beloved features of the original HomePod, such as Spatial Audio, the ability to use stereo configuration and multiroom audio. Furthermore, it still has the capability to be paired with an Apple TV 4K to output audio from the TV.
In addition to Matter, there is support for HomeKit and control the compatible smart home devices. And no questions asked, you do get to talk with Siri.
HomePod (2nd gen) vs HomePod: Price
The new HomePod (2nd gen) comes for Rs 32,990. Meanwhile, the HomePod was launched for Rs 19,900 in 2018. Since Apple discontinued the original HomePod, you do not have the option to buy it, but you can buy the smaller HomePod mini for Rs 10,990.
HomePod (2nd gen) vs HomePod: Should you buy
Well, if you want a new speaker within the Apple ecosystem that is smart and connects to a whole lot of smart home devices, the HomePod (2nd gen) is for you. Sadly, the original HomePod has been discontinued now, so if you want something affordable, you can go with the HomePod mini.