Apple’s second-generation HomePod smart speaker has gone on sale, and the new smart speaker is available for purchase at Apple Store retail stores in the U.S. and some other countries/regions.
Apple customers can use the Apple Online Store or App Store app to order HomePod 2 for in-store pickup at the Apple Store. Simply select the “I’ll pick it up” option at checkout, enter your zip code, and select the Apple Store retail location most convenient to you. Customers can then choose a pickup date and a 15-minute check-in window.
Priced at $299 ($2,299 in China) and available in midnight and white, the new HomePod 2 looks similar to Apple’s first HomePod, which will be discontinued in 2021, but with a few subtle design changes and some new features.
The second-generation HomePod features a refined design with a larger backlit touch surface and detachable power cord, five internal tweeters (compared to seven in the first-generation model), four far-field microphones (compared to six in the first-generation model), and new temperature and humidity sensors.
The new HomePod 2 comes with the S7 chip and supports Thread, the U1 ultra-broadband chip with music switching and Wi-Fi 802.11n connectivity. It also supports spatial audio. Two HomePods can be used together for stereo pairing, but first-generation HomePod owners should note that the new HomePod 2nd generation cannot be paired in stereo with the first-generation model.
The new HomePod 2 is available in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and 11 other countries.
