Apple’s second-generation HomePod launches today, with the new smart speaker available for pickup at Apple Stores in the US and select other countries. Starting today, online pre-orders are also arriving at customers, and pre-ordering is no longer necessary.


Apple customers can use the Apple Online Store or the App Store app to order a “HomePod” for pickup at the Apple Store. Simply select the Pick It Up option at checkout, enter your zip code, and select the Apple Store location that’s most convenient for you. Customers can then select a pickup date and 15-minute check-in window.

The new “HomePod” costs $299 and comes in Midnight and White color options. It looks very similar to the original “HomePod” that Apple discontinued in 2021, but there are some subtle design changes and several new features.

The second generation “HomePod” has a sophisticated design with a larger backlit touch surface and a detachable power cord, while inside there are five tweeters (vs. seven on the original model), four far-field microphones (vs. six). and new temperature and humidity sensors.

Powered by Apple’s S7 chip, the new “HomePod” features Thread support, a U1 Ultra Wideband chip to support music delivery, and Wi-Fi 802.11n connectivity. It also supports spatial audio. Two HomePods can be used together to form a stereo pair, but original HomePod owners should note that the new HomePod cannot be stereo paired with the first-generation model.

The new $299 HomePod is available today in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK, the US and 11 other countries.

Popular Stories

The report highlights the danger of using AirTags to track dogs

AirTags can be a convenient way of tracking dogs that may become off-leash or otherwise lost, but there are dangers associated with the practice, as detailed in a Wall Street Journal report. At 1.26 inches in diameter, AirTags easily fit on a dog’s collar, but that size also makes the tracking devices small enough to swallow, at least for a medium to large sized dog, and…

Five new iOS features coming to your iPhone later this year

Apple has already announced several upcoming iOS features that are expected to be added to iPhone later this year. Some of the features could be introduced with iOS 16.4, which should be in beta testing soon, while others will arrive later in the year. Below we’ve rounded up five new iOS features expected to roll out in 2023, such as: B. an Apple Pay Later financing option for purchases…

The next Big Apple silicon device may not be a Mac or iPad

According to recent reports, Apple’s next device with an Apple silicon chip may not be a Mac or iPad, but rather an advanced external display. The display, which is rumored to be launching this year, is expected to be somewhere between the $1,599 Studio Display and the $4,999 Pro Display XDR – though more specific info on the device’s positioning and pricing is forthcoming not yet known. While …

Apple is launching a brand new CarPlay experience with these 5 features later this year

In June 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle features like climate control and FM radio, support for multiple in-dash displays, personalization options, and more. Apple says the first vehicles with support for the next-gen CarPlay experience will be announced in late 2023, with committed automakers like Acura, Audi,…

The new HomePod can still stain some wood surfaces

When the original HomePod launched in 2018, it was noticed that the speaker can leave white rings on some wood surfaces. Now, well-known YouTuber Marques Brownlee has confirmed that the problem is less of a problem with the new HomePod. In a side-by-side test, he showed that the second-generation white HomePod left a white ring on the wooden surface he placed the speaker on…

Apple explains why HomePod was re-released, Wi-Fi 4 restriction and more

Apple’s VP of Hardware Engineering Matthew Costello and Product Marketing Associate Alice Chan spoke to Men’s Journal and TechCrunch about the new second-gen HomePod via the smart speaker in recent in-depth interviews. Apple discontinued the original full-size HomePod in March 2021 after multiple reports suggested the speaker’s sales were lackluster, but Chan told Men’s…