Apple’s HomePod Is a Good Smart Speaker. But the Mini Is Better for Most People.

The Apple HomePod is back. Nearly two years after discontinuing the original HomePod, Apple has resurrected the Siri-based smart speaker with minor improvements. Although the second-generation HomePod looks almost identical to the original, the formula was altered with some subtle design twists and new features, including temperature and humidity sensors, support for spatial audio, and integration of the new Matter smart-home protocol. For most people who favor Siri and HomeKit, these upgrades don’t make it a must-own speaker—the smaller, lower-priced HomePod mini is the better choice. But for music lovers, the new HomePod competes sonically with other popular smart speakers from Amazon and Sonos, even if it may be a matter of preference.

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from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/apple-homepod/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=RSS%20Feed