Apple redefined the audio experience with its smart speakers, HomePod and HomePod mini. Marvels of acoustic technology, the speakers boast high-fidelity sound, sleek designs and advanced features.
This article looks at the evolution of HomePod, exploring its features and how it has become a staple for a variety of listeners.
The smart speaker’s journey began with its first-generation model, unveiled at Apple’s WWDC 2017. Apple officially released the original HomePod on February 9, 2018.
Many people lauded the unusual new smart speaker, a successor to the Beats Pill+, for its spectacular design and excellent sound quality. But it faced criticism for its lack of third-party support and high price compared to other smart speakers. In any case, it sold more than 3 million units in its first year.
Apple launched a smaller version, HomePod mini, on November 16, 2020.
However, Apple discontinued the first-gen HomePod on March 12, 2021. That left only HomePod mini on sale. It sold better than its bigger sibling.
Apple unveiled the second-generation full-size HomePod on January 18, 2023, and it hit the shelves on February 3. Some reviews said it’s the best smart speaker for any Apple-centric household.
The second-generation of the big speaker retained the sleek, cylindrical design of its predecessor but introduced new features that further enhanced its appeal. Let’s delve into the key attributes that make the HomePod an acoustic powerhouse.
The second-generation HomePod sports a rounded, cylindrical shape, cocooned in a 3D mesh fabric chosen for its excellent acoustic properties. Available in white and midnight colors, the smart speaker stands 6.6 inches tall and weighs 5.16 pounds. The larger backlit touch screen at the top of the HomePod enhances user interaction and visibility.
The crowning glory of the updated smart speaker? Superior sound quality. It houses a four-inch woofer and a five-tweeter array, providing listeners with a rich, immersive audio experience. The smart speaker leverages advanced computational audio, spatial awareness, and room-sensing technology to adjust the music in real time for the environment it is in.
And it proved far easier to repair than the original.
HomePod comes integrated with Siri, Apple’s voice-controlled assistant. Siri can control the speaker and other HomeKit devices, conduct text messaging and voice calls from an iPhone, and provide access to Apple’s own platforms and technologies.
So the speaker can serves as a home hub, allowing for remote access to HomeKit devices. It also supports the Thread network protocol and can be used for home automation.
The smart speaker supports 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5. It also includes temperature and humidity sensors and an accelerometer, which adjusts the speaker’s sound in real time if you move it to a new location in the room.
The speaker runs on audioOS, a fork version of tvOS, known as HomePod Software.
So how do you set up a HomePod or HomePod mini? It’s easy. We’ll walk you through it.
A key feature of the speaker comes in its commitment to privacy. Apple designed it, in part, to protect your personal information.
It end-to-end encrypts all smart-home communications so no one can read them (not even Apple). And when you use the Siri voice assistant, the speaker does not store audio of the request.
Apple also designed its smart speakers to minimize their environmental impact. Each speaker includes 100% recycled gold in the plating of multiple printed circuit boards and 100 percent% rare earth elements in the speaker magnet.
Today, Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations. By 2030, the company plans to be 100% carbon neutral across its entire manufacturing supply chain and all products.
You can buy the full-size HomePod smart speaker for $299, the same price as the discontinued original. HomePod mini costs $99.
The HomePod operating system occasionally needs updating, because the device is a lot more than a simple speaker — it’s a computer. Here’s how to make sure your Apple smart speaker has the software version released Monday. The new HomePod Software version 26.1 is a simple bug-fix update, but it’s still worth installing. Who wants bugs?
If you depend on automatic updates, it’s possible your smart speaker hasn’t yet installed the update. Here’s how to do so manually.
Apple makes some of the best tech products in the world — beautifully designed, powerful and reliable. But even the best stumble sometimes.
Over the years, I’ve used plenty of Apple devices that looked great on paper but turned out to be frustrating in practice. Here are the ones that made me question Apple’s “it just works” mantra.
Over the years, Apple has launched hundreds of products — some iconic, others forgettable. I’ve used a fair share of them, with some earning a permanent spot on my “all-time favorites” Apple devices list.
Each of these devices represented Apple at its best, with a sleek design, impressive performance and an experience that few other brands can match. So, here’s my list of Apple devices that have truly stood the test of time.
Apple will build its upcoming smart home products in Vietnam to diversify its manufacturing away from China. This includes indoor security cameras, a smart display and a tabletop robot.
A $350 smart display will be the first to launch in spring 2026.
Say you’re in the kitchen and you hear an alarm going off on the iPad in your living room. Rather than walking across the house to deactivate it, you can use Siri on your iPhone or HomePod to shut off the alarm. This method also works with timers (and a variety of devices, too).
Here’s how to do a handy trick that everyone should know.
In a big move reshaping the premium audio landscape, Samsung subsidiary Harman International acquired Masimo Corporation’s Sound United consumer audio business for $350 million in cash, the companies said this week — including some of the industry’s most storied brands.
The deal brings renowned audio brands like Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz and Polk Audio under Samsung’s expanding audio empire — potentially creating new challenges for Apple in both the consumer audio, automotive and smart home markets.
And the seller happens to be Apple legal rival Masimo, whose lawsuit against the iPhone giant put a stop to blood oxygen sensing in Apple Watch. Ouch.
Apple reportedly picked the companies to supply the display for a screen-equipped HomePod scheduled to reach the market later in 2025.
Previous reports say the device will put more emphasis on functioning as a hub for a smart home than current HomePod models do.
iPhone and Mac get all the attention — and the annual upgrades — but you can expect a trio of Apple products that haven’t been improved in years to get some love from Cupertino in 2025.
Fans of some of Apple’s secondary devices rejoice: Rumors point to new versions of Apple TV, AirTag and HomePod in the coming months. If you’re an AirTag user, it’s important to stay updated with the latest AirTag firmware update to ensure optimal performance.
Apple’s significant expansion of its smart home lineup in 2025 should include new HomePod and HomePod mini models. The company plans to introduce both a display-equipped HomePod and a refreshed HomePod mini amid a renewed focus on the smart home market.
As usual, you can expect Apple to emphasize quality audio as well as airtight security. Here’s what to expect from HomePod and HomePod mini in 2025.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday HomePod deals aren’t as extensive as you might find on other products, but at least you can save a few bucks on Apple’s smart speakers. We found early Black Friday savings at B&H Photo on both HomePod 2 and HomePod mini, and we’ll update this post if sweeter bargains come along.
Currently, the prices are as cheap or cheaper than even major warehouse discounters like Costco and Sam’s Club (which admittedly offers the HomePod mini for a penny less than B&H). Plus, if you’re searching for a Black Friday deal on HomePods at Amazon and coming up blank, you’re not going crazy. The retailer doesn’t stock HomePods, possibly because it’s trying to sell so many of its competing Echo smart speakers.
If you’re looking for deals on other Apple gear, don’t miss our big roundup of Apple Black Friday deals.
Update: These deals are still in effect for Cyber Monday.
Black Friday arrives on November 29, but many sales on tech gear kick off a week or more before that. Take Sonos, for example. You can find a range of great deals on headphones, speakers, soundbars and bundles of different products starting Thursday (November 21) in the Sonos Black Friday sale. Most of the bargains are at both Sonos and Amazon. Go to Sonos to see the whole sale on one page and grab the bundles. Follow links to either Amazon or Sonos below for various Labor Day deals on Sonos audio gear.
Apple might launch a new smart display running a new operating system called homeOS early next year. The device could feature FaceTime integration and act as a smart home controller.
The low-end smart display, code-named J490, seemingly will act as a companion to a long-rumored, more-expensive tabletop iPad on a robotic arm.
In the never-ending arms race for more and bigger external displays in computer setups, one distinct subset is the ultra-wide, curved gaming monitor. Samsung is big in that game, and today’s M1 Mac mini user likes his 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 monitor, which he pairs with a couple of 32-inch 4K flat displays. And by the way, the big curved gaming monitor is deeply discounted right now on Amazon.
The user also asked for feedback on his new setup. You can see that below, too.
Labor Day comes up on Monday, September 2, but some sales on tech gear kick off as much as a week before that. Take Sonos, for example. You can find a range of great deals on headphones, speakers, soundbars and bundles of different products. Most of the bargains are at both Sonos and Amazon. Go to Sonos to see the whole sale on one page and grab the bundles. Follow links to either Amazon or Sonos below for various Labor Day deals on Sonos audio gear.
Apple just replaced the space gray HomePod mini with a new midnight color option. Monday’s change to the company’s smart speaker lineup is hardly monumental — you might not even be able to see the difference.
Still, the new midnight HomePod mini is also “green.” Apple made it using 100% recycled mesh fabric.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We dissect the latest Apple rumors, which go from incredible bummer (Apple Watch) to potential breakthroughs (iPhone and HomePod).
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
A bit of the user interface for a rumored HomePod smart speaker with a large touchscreen reportedly turned up in the latest beta for tvOS 18.
We’ve heard leaks and rumors about such a smart home device since at least 2021, but now the product seems to be moving nearer to release.
Apple officially designated some classic products “vintage” Monday, as it put iPhone X plus original AirPods and HomePod on the “vintage” list. That’s a classification that the iPhone giant includes prior to the products becoming “obsolete” and no longer serviced.
A lot of folks love Apple audio products like HomePod speakers and AirPods earbuds. But another cherished audio brand is running a promotion right now you don’t want to miss. That would be 25% off Sonos refurbished speakers and soundbars, plus a couple of other primo deals. See the details below.
After all, we know Apple’s refurbs are good, so why not Sonos?
Apple reportedly hasn’t given up on the idea of a HomePod smart speaker with a built-in display. It’s supposedly still in development in Cupertino.
There have been leaks and rumors of such a smart home device since at least 2021.
Paired for stereo sound, two full-size HomePod smart speakers — the original or second generation — are a thing of auditory beauty. And they don’t just sound great, they look good, too. Yet we don’t see paired HomePods much in computer setups (HomePod minis yes, the big ones, no).
Today’s MacBook Pro setup takes full advantage of Apple audio, however, and the user couldn’t be happier. Well, except with Siri, that is. Check out their setup’s cheerful day version (above) and moody night version (below).
Isn’t it great when someone on social media humbly displays a well put-together and complete computer setup that makes yours look like random debris? Well, at least it’s a good learning opportunity. And today’s MacBook Pro setup is an exceptional example, as it doesn’t look like “all that” — even though it is.
At a glance you might not guess that it packs about two dozen components, and the user is happy to explain how he uses most of them.
It couldn’t be easier to set up HomePod or HomePod mini. Learn how to get started, use Siri, and exclude your kids’ music from your listening history.
Apple plans to offer financial incentives to artists and record labels who mix songs using surround-sound Spatial Audio technology Dolby Atmos, sources close to the matter said Monday.
Greater weighting placed on those audio streams starting in 2024 will likely mean higher royalties paid out.
Alleged photos of a HomePod prototype with an LCD screen on top have surfaced online. They showcase the smart speaker with a big touch-based LCD panel on top.
Apple’s current-gen HomePod has a small touch surface on top for controlling music playback and volume.