There's a new larger HomePod in town. And if you feel like you're having deja vu, it's because it has the same design as the discontinued 2021 model. But it gets upgraded audio, an S7 chip, improved smart home capabilities, and a lower $399 price. This HomePod gets a custom-made woofer, diaphragm motor, bass EQ mic, and a group of five tweeters. According to Apple, you can expect "rich, deep bass and stunning high frequencies."
With the help of its S7 chip and its software, the HomePod makes the most of its audio setup. It has room sensing tech so it can read sound reflections to determine its position in a room and adjust audio in real-time. This HomePod supports Spatial Audio via Apple Music. And it has a new smart home feature called Sound Recognition, which can monitor for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and send an alert to your iPhone if it hears it. This feature isn't launching with the speaker but is coming via a software update "later this spring." Apple also warns again only relying on the HomePod for emergencies.
This speaker gets a new built-in temperature and humidity sensor. You can even use the HomePod to close blinds or turn on a fan to achieve your preset temperature. Of course, you'll need to have your smart home set up to make this happen. And as with many new smart home devices, the HomePod supports the Matter standard, allowing it to work with third-party smart home tech. Apple says any smart home communication done through the HomePod is end-to-end encrypted by default, even Siri requests aren't stored by default.
You can link HomePods together for a multi-room setup or connect it with a HomePod mini. You can play the same song on all of them, a different song one each, or use the group as an intercom. You can easily pass off audio playing from your iphone to the HomePod. Or you can setup to a pair of HomePod speakers as a stereo pair for an Apple TV. With the Apple TV 4K's eARC connection, you can turn these HomePod pairs into audio setup for all the devices hooked up to your TV.
The new HomePod is now available for pre-order, with shipping starting on February 3.