HOMEPOD (2ND GEN) REVIEW: THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME

SIRI REMAINS A BITTERLY SORE POINT FOR AN OTHERWISE ATTRACTIVE SMART SPEAKER THAT'S NOW LESS DOMINATED BY BASS.

- DAVID PRICE

Well, this was a surprise. Apple ditched the HomePod (fave.co/ 3Zr8YJo) back in 2021, indicating breezily that it intended to focus instead on the smaller and cheaper HomePod mini. But now it's come crawling back, professing undying affection for the full-size form factor. Or, in less dramatic terms, Apple has launched a 2nd-gen HomePod, and everyone is wondering what's changed, and why the company thinks this time will be more successful. In our in-depth review of the 2023 HomePod, we intend to find out.

DESIGN AND BUILD QUALITY: MUCH THE SAME, IN A GOOD WAY 

The HomePod 2 is a handsome speaker. It's a neat, chunky, but relatively compact cylinder with the edges smoothed off at the top and bottom. As with the very first iPad, the inward curve at its base invites the hand to pick it up. This feels like a very organic design somehow, a shape that's unobtrusive, human, and vaguely marshmallowy. It still feels modern, too, despite being barely any different from the 2018 original.

Indeed, at a first glance it's difficult to spot the external differences between the first and second full-size HomePods. There are some-it's a little shorter (by 4mm, which I didn't notice) and lighter (by 200g, which I did)-but the overall look is nearly identical.

The diamond mesh pattern is fractionally finer now (by my reckoning each diamond on the main surface is now 2.5mm wide, compared to 3.5mm on the 1st-gen model, and I trust this vital data helps you make an informed buying decision) while the color of the black model, branded as Midnight, now has more noticeable hints of blue.