Apple Home Pod 2 Review: What's New and Improved?

Apple Home Pod 2 review – The introduction of the Apple HomePod 2nd Generation was a surprise to many, especially after the company discontinued its predecessor in 2021. While it may look almost identical to the original HomePod, the internal upgrades are what truly set it apart. These include a new tweeter arrangement and additional internal sensors, enhancing the overall audio experience.

One of the most exciting features of the HomePod 2 is its ability to create a stereo pair with a second unit. So, it delivers an even more immersive sound experience. Furthermore, with the latest Apple TV 4K, the HomePod 2 can now become the audio center of your home theater. However, this advanced functionality comes at a steep price. To unlock its full potential, you would need to purchase three pieces of Apple hardware, which can be as costly as a high-end soundbar. Despite its impressive capabilities, many users may find the price tag too steep to justify.

Apple Home Pod 2 Redesign and Changes

At first glance, the Home Pod 2 doesn’t appear to have undergone any major cosmetic changes, maintaining the familiar cylindrical shape and the foam-like exterior. However, upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that it’s slightly shorter than its predecessor, measuring 0.2 inches less in height.

The top of the speaker now features a smaller touchscreen, which displays animations across its entire surface, replacing the small circle of the previous model. Additionally, the volume buttons are now permanently visible, unlike the virtual controls that would disappear on the older model. Unfortunately, the recessed design of the display means that dust can easily collect on the top of the HomePod 2. Here are the Apple Home Pod 2 review for more details:

Removable Power Cable

One small but significant change in the new HomePod is the inclusion of a removable power cable. This means that you won’t have to replace the entire $299 unit in case of a broken power cord. Furthermore, the new power cable design allows you to replace the original cable with any figure-8 cable, providing more convenience and flexibility.

Apple has made some significant changes to the 2nd gen HomePod speaker. The new model improves a woofer on top and five tweeters together with a redesigned layout and a crisscrossed mesh. While this means two fewer tweeters than the previous HomePod, they have been angled more aggressive than the predecessor.

New Feature

Interestingly, Apple reduced the number of tweeters to add a new feature to the HomePod – a pair of temperature and humidity sensors. These sensors can help you monitor the climate in your home, which is a handy addition to a smart speaker.

The new HomePod also features four microphones, which work with the internal S7 chip. It works to detect the speaker sounds and adjust automatically for highest performance. This feature is not new to the HomePod or Sonos speakers, but not for the second-generation HomePod’s adaptive audio. During tests, the speaker was moved from an open space to an enclosed corner. The result shows that the sound remained consistent without any lag.

Another feature that the microphones allow is the ability to summon Siri from across the room, even when the speaker is playing at high volume. Siri can perform various voice commands, including playing music, adjusting the volume, setting timers and alarms, answering questions, dictating messages, and even acting as an intercom to other HomePods in your home.

Audio Performance

The HomePod 2 is a speaker that plays music. It is really good at playing music with a lot of bass, but the bass doesn’t overpower the other parts of the music. The HomePod 2 has five tweeters. This feature makes the music sound great no matter where you’re sitting or where the speaker is placed.

If you listen to music with spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, the HomePod 2 sounds even better. You can hear all the different parts of the music more clearly, like the voices and instruments. This makes the music sound more full and harmonious. It’s like being in the room where the music was recorded.

But the spatial audio on the HomePod 2 only works with certain types of music and movies. The Sonos Era 300 speaker is another speaker that can play spatial audio from different types of music services.

Ease of Use

The HomePod 2 is a speaker made by Apple. It works with Siri, which is like a talking assistant, to play music from Apple Music or other services like Pandora and Deezer. However, some popular services like Spotify and Amazon Music can only be played on the HomePod 2 if you use another Apple device to connect them. The HomePod 2 also cannot be connected to devices like a turntable or played through Bluetooth.

But, if you have two HomePod 2 speakers and pair them together, they sound even better and create a surround sound experience. You can also use them with an Apple TV to improve the sound quality of movies and games.

While this setup sounds great, it is very expensive compared to other speakers that have more options for connecting to different devices. Additionally, the HomePod 2 only works well with other Apple products, so it may not be the best choice for people who don’t use Apple devices.

Summary

Based on the Apple Home Pod review above, the HomePod 2 is a smart speaker that can play music. It helps you make your home sound really good. It has special features called spatial audio and Dolby Atmos music that make the sound even better. Well, it is a bit expensive, but it is worth it because the sound is great no matter where you are in the room.

If you get two HomePod 2 speakers and an Apple TV 4K, your music, movies, and games will sound even better. But, it is important to know that this setup may not work well with devices that are not made by Apple. Also, it does not give you true surround sound. It also costs a lot of money to set up.

Apple Home Pod 2 Review: What’s New and Improved?