Hey there! As a hardcore Apple fanatic and speaker junkie, I‘ve been super eager to get my hands on the newly announced second generation HomePod.
I‘ve already covered hundreds of miles testing audio gear over the years. So I couldn‘t wait to hear how Apple‘s latest and greatest smart speaker stacks up!
In this in-depth face-off, let‘s dive into all the ways this sleek new 2023 HomePod model builds upon its inaugural predecessor across critical areas like sound quality, smart features, privacy and more.
I‘ll bookmark and evaluate the most important upgrades (and weird downgrades!) between generations. Does Apple‘s best-in-class sound now come with the smarter assistant and value it desperately needed? Have the glaring issues plaguing Gen 1 been appropriately addressed?
By the end, you‘ll know exactly how monumentally expectations have shifted with HomePod 2.0!
Overview: HomePod Evolves Gradually Towards Mainstream Appeal
Before analyzing individual changes, it‘s important to understand the first HomePod‘s initial vision – and why that narrative needed major reworking.
Unveiled in 2017 amidst much fanfare, early marketing framed it as a game-changing intelligent speaker leveraging Apple‘s audio expertise. Siri would usher in a new era of conversational control over music and smart homes.
Unfortunately, grand ambitions crashed hard against the reality of mediocre execution.
For all its marvelous sound engineering, consumers balked at the original model‘s sky-high $349 cost and limited feature set. Rival smart systems quickly outpaced Siri‘s capabilities. And finicky software restrictions like lack of Spotify support alienated users.
Three years of languishing sales later, Apple unceremoniously axed the product entirely.
Now in 2023, the second generation HomePod aims to course-correct via incremental evolution rather than revolution.
The Good:
- More agreeable $299 starting price point
- Finally…Dolby Atmos support!
- Useful sensors like temperature/humidity readings
- Encouraging software expansions across Apple‘s ecosystem
But Key Compromises Remain:
- Still costs 2-3x competitors with 90% sound parity
- Audio hardware oddly downgraded year-over-year
- Minimal gains modernizing Siri compared to Amazon/Google assitants
- Missing advanced connectivity standards like Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3
So is version 2.0 enough to escape its predecessor‘s pitfalls? Let‘s explore the nitty gritty details…
Price – Now Merely Expensive Rather Than Egregious
From a budget perspective, the biggest HomePod Gen 1 complaint centered on value…or lack thereof.
$349 meant Apple effectively priced the product $250+ beyond reasonable smart speaker expectations. Even loyal customers struggled justifying quadruple the costs of audio-centric alternatives from Sonos and Amazon for comparable results.
Relief comes at last as the Gen 2 model drops to $299 – still premium but not gratuitously so.
In one fell swoop, Apple transitions perceptions from exorbitantly-priced elite status symbol to merely the upper end of reasonable. Given typical Apple premiums, differences fall more in line with norms relative to competitors.
How does the adjusted pricing stack up? Let‘s see how the landscape changed:
pie title Gen 2 HomePod Pricing Context
"Sonos One SL" : 90
"Amazon Echo Studio" : 100
"Google Home Max" : 150
"Apple HomePod Gen 2" : 299Sonos soundbars remain cheaper but oriented around home theater rather than assistants. Google‘s aging Max speaker lacks modern formats like Dolby Atmos.
Only Amazon‘s excellent Echo Studio presents real competition on paper. But as we‘ll explore next, Apple‘s audio pleasures command lasting appeal.
Is $299 still steep? Absolutely. But no longer unjustifiably so relative to functionality. Progress!
Design Tweaks – Refined Styling with Familiar Tradeoffs
Industrial design receives only subtle refinements rather than full rethinks:
pie title Gen 2 HomePod Physical Changes
"Smaller/Lighter" : 30
"New Color Option" : 20
"Same Overall Shape" : 50New midnight black color pops nicely while a white variant offers flexibility. Slimmed down footprint lends improved stability while retaining the iconic contoured silhouette.
Alas, fabric coatings remain questionable long term investments given stain risks. And disappointing legacy connectivity persists lacking modern standards:
pie title Gen 2 HomePod Connectivity
"No Wi-Fi 6 Support" : 35
"Bluetooth 5.0 Only" : 30
"Thread Smart Home Protocol" : 35 Thread support assists smart home expansion. But omissions of Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 look increasingly glaring as next-gen routers and accessories hit markets.
I don‘t expect wireless drivetrain upgrades midstream. But buyers should anticipate another replacement cycle down the road as their networks outpace aging HomePod hardware. Caveat emptor!
Audio Hardware – Perplexing Downgrades Counteract Upgrades
Here‘s where things get strange. You‘d reasonably expect superior audio components stuffed inside something dubbed "Gen 2", yes?
In some ways, absolutely! Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio finally let Apple‘s sound experts strut their stuff.
But peek underneath the hood and Apple bafflingly downgraded core speakers year-over-year:
barChart
bar "Tweeter Count",
"Gen 1": 7,
"Gen 2": 5
bar "Microphones",
"Gen 1": 6,
"Gen 2": 4Reducing drivers and mics seems completely antithetical to the whole "second generation" premise! Fewer audio transducers mean less potential fidelity, resolution and tuning flexibility.
What gives? Perhaps Apple‘s added processing power offsets deficiencies via better optimization. But lacking technical insights, this move exposes audio performance as a big question mark.
Processing can‘t magically add back hardware originally deemed necessary. I expected additions – not subtractions!
Intelligence & Integration – Gradual Improvements but Lacking Vision
Interactions showcase an identity crisis – contrasting Apple‘s ambitions against executions.
No Revelations With Siri
Calls to revolutionize AI assistants powered early marketing. But chilled enthusiasm greeted the reality of Siri‘s mundane capabilities lagging competitors then…and now.
Don‘t expect radically different voice functionality versus predecessors or cheaper Echo/Nest devices. Areas like conversational context remain sore spots.
Promising Smart Home Integrations
Support for new protocols like Thread and Matter finally enable expanded device ecosystem integrations:
pie title Gen 2 HomePod Smart Home Compatibility
"Older HK Accessories" : 30
"New Thread Devices" : 35
"Future Matter Products" : 35Apple‘s substantial installed base guarantees plenty of existing HomeKit gear benefits too.
But full potential hinges on consumers buying into emerging standards. And Siri must close gaps handling multi-user voices and automation workflows.
Privacy First
Security and privacy fundamentalists rejoice! Apple‘s hardline stance avoids logging personal data. Every shred of audio gets processed securely on-device rather than in the cloud.
You sacrifice some customization conveniences but gain peace of mind against hacks and surveillance. A fair tradeoff for many!
Additional Internals -chargeport S7 Chip Brings Minor Boosts
It‘s natural to associate "next gen" with the latest bleeding edge tech. But HomePod‘s silicon proves more…pragmatic:
pie title Gen 2 HomePod Chipset
"Apple S7 Processor" : 60
"Identical RAM" : 20
"No Spec Bump Details" : 20 The S7 system-in-package brings a CPU/GPU lift from watchOS. However Apple withholds details on memory, storage, etc.
Gains likely center on efficiency optimizations rather than brute force horsepower. This scores user-facing wins like:
- Faster spatial awareness scanning
- Slight battery life bump according to FCC
- Potential thermal improvements
But ingress protections and power profiles stay unchanged. Without transparency or context around hardware targets, I‘m left shrugging about architectural ambitions.
Feels more akin to an "S" model phone upgrade than revolutionary break from norm. Take any speed claims with grains of salt!
Price vs Performance – Where Do We Stand?
We‘ve covered a ton of ground comparing apples…to Apples! (Pun absolutely intended 😉) Before rendering verdict, let‘s visualize the state of play:
barChart
bar "Audio Fidelity",
"Gen 1" : 5,
"Gen 2" : 4
bar "Assitant Smarts",
"Gen 1" : 3,
"Gen 2" : 4
bar "Hardware Value",
"Gen 1" : 2,
"Gen 2" : 3Audio Fidelity regresses on paper with fewer hardware drivers. Gains come via Dolby Atmos support absent before. Impossible evaluating ultimate quality sans listening.
Assistant Smarts see gradual polish caracteristic of Apple‘s iterative approach. Useful home integrations counterbalanced by lingering Siri shortcomings.
Hardware Value improves thanks only to lowered costs. Internal technical chops trend backwards, exporting power constraints to cloud infrastructure. hardly revolutionary!
Reviewing pluses and minuses, Gen 2 changes land far short of transformations buyers expected after 3 frustrating years. This update plays catch-up addressing Gen 1 oversights through methodical refinements around the edges.
The Bottom Line – Better, But Work Left Achieving Mainstream Appeal
Stepping back, HomePod‘s evolution reminds me greatly of early Apple Watch days. In both cases, highly anticipated initial releases leveraged unique Apple strengths but failed connecting comprehensively everyday users.
It wasn‘t until 3+ generations deep that Apple Watch found purpose balancing specialty appeal against mass market realities. Cost, apps, battery – success hinged getting each element directionally better bit by bit.
HomePod appears set for a similar slow burn crawl towards excellence. Forget fantasies of instant world beating dominance – this will be a long road.
But for once, Apple seems to recognize that reality rather than ignoring feedback. The Gen 2 model rights past wrongs with fairer pricing, audio format support and smart integrations that escape predecessor gridlock.
Are glaring voids around next-gen hardware and voice assistance concerning? Absolutely – and likely the difference hampering mainstream breakouts. Still, I‘m thrilled to see Apple playing the long game rather than abandoning efforts altogether.
If you‘re an Apple faithful eager hearing what perfectly tuned HomeKit gear can achieve sonically, go ahead pulling the trigger. You won‘t be disappointed!
More patience remains prudent for folks less bought into Cupertino‘s ecosystems. We‘re still early innings rather than endgame when it comes to capabilities.
But get this generation right, and Apple may finally have a truly mainstream winner on their hands down the road. Here‘s hoping!
What do you think? Are you grabbing a HomePod 2 to ride the wave upwards? Or sitting out watching for further progress? Let me know in the comments!
