I was just wondering about this. How did others like the HomePod 1? I’m thinking of getting the HomePod 2 and moving away from Alexa. I really want to get 2 of them and pair them for stereo.
> On Jan 18, 2023, at 11:34 PM, M. Taylor <[email protected]> wrote: > > 9 to 5 Mac, Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at 1:16 PM > > Here’s how HomePod 2 Compares to the Original and HomePod Mini, 9 to 5 Mac > > In a surprise launch, Apple revived its full-size HomePod with a > second-generation model. While the overall design and many of the features > remain the same as the discontinued original, there are new capabilities and > changes. Here’s our full HomePod comparison for a look at HomePod 2 vs the > original vs HomePod mini too. > > Background > Apple launched the original HomePod back in 2018 at a premium price above > competitors at $349. Just over a year later, Apple cut the price to $299. > Then the HomePod mini arrived in the fall of 2020 with a more > mass-market-focused $99 price before Apple abruptly discontinued the > full-size HomePod in March of 2021. > > While many felt the original HomePod was priced too high, it offered features > HomePod mini doesn’t match like richer, louder sound, strong bass, Dolby > Atmos support, beamforming, and room sensing. > > Now the full-size HomePod has sprung back to life with the second-gen model > arriving with Thread/Matter support, a temperature/humidity sensor, updated > Apple Silicon chips, and a very minor tweak to the design. > > HomePod comparison: New vs original vs mini > Audio tech and features > > For the main audio features of the HomePod 2, there’s not much different from > the original HomePod (the majority of differences are with smart features, > connectivity, and sensors). > > The only difference mentioned by Apple is the computational audio is now > “advanced” with system sensing for real-time tuning while the original > HomePod and HomePod mini have the original computational audio for real-time > tuning. > > But it’s great to see Spatial Audio/Dolby Atmos is back with the HomePod 2 > since the mini doesn’t offer that. > > > HomePod 2 HomePod 1 HomePod mini > Spatial Audio Dolby Atmos ✅ ✅ ❌ > Room sensing ✅ ✅ ❌ > Beamforming ✅ ✅ ❌ > Stereo pairing (only w/ same speaker and gen) ✅ ✅ ✅ > Real-time tuning Advanced computational audio with system sensing for > real-time tuningComputational audio for real-time tuning Computational > audio for real-time tuning > Multiroom AirPlay audio ✅ ✅ ✅ > Home theater with Apple TV 4K ✅ ✅ ✅ but no Atmos > Auto bass correction ✅ ✅ ❌ > > One important caveat is that if you want to use HomePods in a stereo pair, > they’ll need to be the same type and generation. > Smart home, sensors, connectivity > > Here’s where HomePod 2 starts to stand out from the original. The new > full-size smart speaker gets Thread/Matter support, an S7 chip plus U1 for > improved iPhone handoffs, plus a temperature/humidity sensor like the HomePod > mini. > > HomePod 2 and HomePod mini are also getting Sound Recognition like iPhone – > which is expected to arrive sometime this spring. > > HomePod 2 HomePod 1 HomePod mini > HomeKit + Siri ✅ ✅ ✅ > Thread/Matter ✅ ❌ ✅ > WiFi 802.11n 802.11ac 802.11n > Bluetooth 5.0 5.0 5.0 > U1 chip ✅ ❌ ✅ > Apple Silicon S7 A8 S5 > Sound recognition ✅ (likely this spring) ❌ ✅ (likely this spring) > Temperature and humidity sensor ✅ ❌ ✅ > Intercom ✅ ✅ ✅ > > The touch panel on top of the HomePod 2 appears to be similar to the original > but is now slightly recessed like the HomePod mini. The touch surface also > appears to illuminate entirely like the mini. > Strangely, Apple downgraded the WiFi chip from 802.11ac to 802.11n. Maybe > it’s thinking Thread will be carrying more weight and it could be tied to the > switch from A-series to S-series Apple Silicon. > > Apple also skips the upgrade to Bluetooth 5.3 on the new HomePod – however, > that’s really just used for the setup, not music playback. > > Notably, more new features are coming to all HomePods with the upcoming 16.3 > release: > Speakers and mics > HomePod 2 internals via Apple > > There are some interesting tweaks when it comes to the speakers and mics. > First, Apple hints the high-excursion woofer is bigger. The new HomePod has a > 4-inch woofer while the size of the original wasn’t disclosed by Apple. > > Other changes see the 7-array tweeter of the original simplified to 5 for > HomePod, and the far-field mics are also reduced from 6 to 4. > > HomePod 2 HomePod 1 HomePod mini > Woofer 4-inch high-excursion woofer High-excursion woofer ❌ > Speakers 5-array horn-loaded tweeters 7-array horn-loaded tweeters > Full-range driver and dual passive radiators > Far-field mics 4 6 4 > > Apple must be confident it has achieved the same or better sound quality, > output, and input as the original HomePod with fewer tweeters and mics. It > describes the HomePod 2 as offering “immersive, high-fidelity audio.” > > Here’s how Apple describes the new HomePod 2 woofer: > “A high excursion woofer packs HomePod with deep, rich bass. Its powerful > motor drives the diaphragm a remarkable 20 mm, while its bass EQ mic > dynamically tunes low frequencies in real time. Superclean bass. Fills the > room. Boom.” > And on the new tweeter setup: > “HomePod has an array of five beamforming tweeters around its base. They > optimize high frequencies to produce detailed, articulate audio with stunning > clarity. So you can enjoy crystal-clear vocals and all the details of the > instruments — just as if you were there in person.” > > Size and colors > The new HomePod is almost the exact same size (and design). It’s just 0.2 > inches shorter and about half a pound lighter. > HomePod 2 comes in white and midnight, although the latter looks awfully > close to the space gray of the original. HomePod mini remains the only choice > if you want a pop of color. > > HomePod 2 HomePod 1 HomePod mini > Height 6.6 inches (168 mm) 6.8 inches (172 mm) 3.3 inches > (84.3 mm) > Width 5.6 inches (142 mm) 5.6 inches (142 mm) 3.9 inches (97.9 mm) > Weight 5.16 pounds (2.3 kg) 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg) 0.76 pound (345 > grams) > > HomePod comparison: Price > The HomePod 2 has arrived at the same $299 that the original was discontinued > at. Meanwhile, the HomePod mini remains at $99. > > Time will tell if customers find the $299 price point of the new full-size > HomePod more palatable than they did the first time around. > > HomePod comparison wrap-up > While some may have hoped for a more substantial upgrade for the second-gen > HomePod at the $299 price, I think it’s great to see the full-size HomePod > return. > > Apple users who are looking for room-filling, rich sound have a first-party > option again – and pricing is on par with competition like the Sonos Five > (you can pick up two HomePods for a stereo pair at $598 vs the Sonos Five at > $549). The full-size HomePod returning is also exciting for those who want > Dolby Atmos for their home theater setup. > And overall, the HomePod 2 has been updated to reach parity with the HomePod > mini with Thread, U1 chip, and the temp/humidity sensor. > > Apple has opened orders for the new HomePod with the first deliveries > starting on February 3. > What do you think about HomePod 2? Planning to pick one or more up? Skipping? > Share your thoughts in the comments! > > Thanks for checking out our HomePod comparison! > > Original article at: > https://9to5mac.com/2023/01/18/homepod-comparison-new-original-and-mini/ > > > -- > The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. > > If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if > you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or > moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > > Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor. Mark can be reached at: > [email protected]. Your list owner is Cara Quinn - you can reach Cara at > [email protected] > > The archives for this list can be searched at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "VIPhone" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/viphone/000001d92bbf%245af1bc40%2410d534c0%24%40ucla.edu. -- The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor. Mark can be reached at: [email protected]. 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