When Apple released the second-generation smart speaker HomePod (hereafter referred to as HomePod 2) in a surprise move before the Lunar New Year, Apple fans were surprised and delighted. Since the first generation ended in 2021, people thought that listening to music and watching movies would be useful The HomePod with its lackluster performance has become a swan song, but HomePod 2 will become back without warning, and will go on sale this Friday (February 3). After all, it will be replaced by an S7 Chip with stronger sound calculations and a redesigned internal structure. Will the sound be better than the first generation? What’s the point of adding functions like temperature and humidity sensing? Check it out now!
If you’ve used the first generation HomePod in person, you should be impressed by its full subwoofer and surge output potential. The sound quality is not much better than that of similarly priced smart speakers. With multiple software updates in the future, lossless features will be added Unfortunately, new functions such as streaming enjoyment and Dolby Atmos panoramic sound are only available with Apple’s own devices, and can be used on mobile phones and tablets that cannot connect to other platforms such as Bluetooth speakers, which inevitably have limitations. Coming to the second generation, HomePod 2 is still compatible with Apple iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV 4K, but the sound quality of the actual test has indeed improved compared to the generation previous, with a pair of HomePod 2 paired to form a stereo combination, listening to songs and watching movies is more effective It is essential, and smart home functions are more diverse. If you often stream for entertainment or watching dramas, or planning to build a smart home, HomePod 2 will be a new member worth considering for Apple fans.
Real time adjustment of low frequency treble oblique sound
At first glance, the shape and size of HomePod 2 is similar to the first generation. The body is available in black and white. In fact, there are still some changes in the details. For example, the Mini HomePod has a concave and flat design on the top screen. The first generation has a round arch shape, and the display effect is different from the first generation when playing songs and operating. For example, it will appear white when playing songs, but it will appear in color when using Siri. As for the power cord at the back, it also uses a detachable design, which is convenient for positioning and routing. The exterior of HomePod 2 hasn’t changed much, but the interior of HomePod 2 has undergone earth-shaking changes. From the official point of view, the long stroke woofer continues to be placed at the top Driven by a strong motor, the amplitude of the diaphragm can reach 20mm, which is enough to create a deeper and more powerful frequency And frequency more sensitive low, with the built-in EQ bass microphone, actively measuring the internal pressure of the bass unit, the new work can adjust the low frequency in real time, no matter what kind of song is playing, or the level of volume, the bass still has a balanced and consistent output.
As for the five tweeters that form a beam arranged in an array at the bottom, although the number of tweeters has been reduced from 7 to 5 in the previous generation, the units have been changed to emit sound in an oblique direction .The advantage is that it helps prevent high frequencies from being reflected by nearby objects, making treble and vocal transmission better.Obviously, I think it is also useful for the sense of space created by Dolby Atmos or spatial sound. Speaking of another key to quality – computer chips, HomePod 2 has been upgraded from the previous generation A8 to S7. With stronger computing power, it can adjust the timbre in real time to optimize it in real time according to the environment and the content is played in real time with a custom tuning mode.
A stereo combination similar to the Sound Bar
Having said that much, I actually tried playing a lot of Apple Music songs with lossless compression and Dolby Atmos sound effect format on HomePod 2. You can hear more sound details, and the output power still rises even if the volume is turned up to 90%, the sound quality is not distorted, which is worthy of praise. If you watch movies with Apple TV 4K, since HomePod 2 supports Dolby Atmos panoramic sound, it can also bring a good sense of presence. If you want to make the most of HomePod 2, or if you are interested in making your own wireless home theater, it is recommended to buy a pair of HomePod 2 at the same time After forming stereo mode, the sound field will become immediately transparent. and wide, and the location of audio instruments will be more three-dimensional. When playing Dolby Atmos songs, The sense of 360-degree space is more real. When watching Dolby Atmos movies or episodes, you can even feel the realistic presence of bullets in fly across the sky The panoramic sound experience is even more realistic than many Sound Bars.
List of five functions
room sensing
Just like the first generation, HomePod 2 has room sensing technology. to adjust sound quality. In addition, HomePod 2 itself also has a system sensor, which can calculate the current system and battery status, and further adjust the tuning mode in real time, so that the sound can be played better.
Take over the song at any time
Another new feature for enjoyment is “transmission” As long as the iPhone used by fruit fans has a built-in U1 chip, when the phone is placed close to the HomePod 2, the music played by the speaker is transferred to the iPhone to continue playing. Conversely, if the iPhone is playing songs, then The HomePod 2 will “take over” and continue broadcasting.
Compatible with Matter smart home accessories
In addition to listening to music and watching movies, HomePod 2, as a new generation of smart speakers, has also improved its functions, especially in terms of smart home. In addition to HomeKit, it is now also compatible with Matter accessories, so that Apple fans can control more different types of home accessories through HomePod 2. From light bulbs, plugs to door locks, or Web cameras, home appliances, all can be controlled using Home App and Siri.
Temperature and Humidity Detection
In addition to being used as a radio microphone for sound measurement, the original HomePod 2 also has a built-in temperature and humidity sensor, which can detect the temperature and humidity of the living room or room, and send the data to the home app Apple fans can use relevant information to automate the operation of smart homes, such as when the indoor temperature rises to a certain degree or higher, it can automatically close the curtains or turn on the air conditioner.
voice recognition
After a later software update, HomePod 2 will also add voice recognition functionality. Once the radio microphone detects smoke or carbon monoxide alarms, it will send notifications to the user’s iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, which can be set to listen to relevant recordings to understand the situation.
Price: $2,299
Inquiry: https://apple.co/40iUjRh
