The HomePod 2 has been teased once again for a 2023 launch, but even with the nitty gritty on the ground, we’re not convinced this speaker will be any better than its failed predecessor.
Apple’s attempt to make one of its best smart speakers, the original HomePod, was an impressive device. It has amazing sound quality, an attractive design, and a decent voice assistant; But its high price seemed to put many people off, and after only three years on sale it was discontinued. The HomePod mini has been discontinued, but you’d be forgiven for not knowing it existed, as Apple doesn’t seem to mention it very often.
That could all change in 2023, however Bloomberg Mark Gorman (Opens in a new tab) — who has a great track record when it comes to Apple leaks — claiming that the new HomePod should be “fairly close.”
However, while the imminent launch of an Apple product always brings with it an air of excitement, we can’t help but feel that the HomePod 2 is destined to be another disappointment for the tech giant.
HomePod 2 problem
One of the main advantages that the new HomePod is expected to have over the original device is the more competitive price. When the first HomePod launched, it was priced at $349 / £319 / AU$499, which is more expensive than its competitors’ more luxurious offerings, such as the $229 / £219 / AU$349 Google Nest Hub Max and $199.99 / AU$189.99 £ / AU $329 Amazon Echo Studio.
However, even if it’s priced in line with other premium smart speakers, it’s probably around $200 / £200 / AU$300 out of a lot of people’s budgets. On top of that, the HomePod 2 will also be a tough sell when pitted against Amazon and Google’s much cheaper devices – speakers that run at $50 / £50 / AU$80 (or even less when they’re on sale).
Sure, they’ll be more capable sonically, but not everyone values sound quality enough to warrant spending four or five times as much on something that looks a lot like cheaper speakers functionally.
Another hurdle the HomePod 2 is unlikely to overcome is its dependence on Apple’s ecosystem. As other Apple peripherals like the Apple TV become more difficult to use without an iPhone or iPad, we expect the HomePod 2 to share the original reliance on Apple phones and tablets (you need an iPhone or iPad to set up the HomePod).
Additionally, we found the HomePod offered plenty of support for Apple Music, but was less convenient for people who use one of the other better music streaming services, like Spotify—you had to AirLink the music to your speaker, rather than be able to play it. locally, which meant that the setup aspects were a bit more sluggish. There is currently no reason to believe that the HomePod 2 will be any different in this regard.
If you use the entire Apple ecosystem, this wouldn’t be an issue, but people who only own two Apple devices, or none at all, would be discouraged to buy a HomePod 2 instead of an off-system option from Amazon or Google, or even something. Like the Sonos One. That is, unless Apple decides to make it a more neutral speaker, though don’t hold your breath.
Finally, there is the unfortunate possibility for the HomePod 2 that the smart speaker train has already left the station. This isn’t to say that fashion is dead — smart tech is likely to become more prevalent with the release of Matter, a unified smart home platform — but we expect that a lot of people who want a smart speaker already have one, and are therefore already tied to one of their existing systems.
If you already have an Amazon Echo, you’ll likely get another Alexa-powered device if you buy another smart speaker, as it can be integrated into your setup much more easily and offers expanded functionality versus something that runs on Siri or Google Assistant. Since it’s likely that very few people own a HomePod, Apple will need to put on a compelling presentation if it wants to entice people to pick up the Soundbar rather than one from the brand they’ve already invested in.
We’ll have to wait and see what Apple’s HomePod 2 has in store for us if it turns up, but for now the odds seem stacked against it. Just like the original, the new HomePod will likely find a fan base among Apple fanatics and audiophiles, but to be successful, it’ll need to appeal to a wide range of people that the previous iteration failed to impress; And if it fails again, we can’t see Apple giving the HomePod line a fourth chance to hit it big.
If you’re excited to hear about the latest Apple news, check out our article about the new ultra-powerful MacBook Pro and Mac mini.