Apple Explains Why HomePod Was Released Again, Wi-Fi 4 Limitation, and More

[MacRumors]

Apple's VP of hardware engineering Matthew Costello and product marketing employee Alice Chan recently spoke with Men's Journal and TechCrunch about the new second-generation HomePod in wide-ranging interviews about the smart speaker.

Apple discontinued the original full-size HomePod in March 2021 after multiple reports indicated that sales of the speaker were lackluster, but Chan told Men's Journal that Apple has since "heard more interest than ever for the acoustics of a richer larger speaker," leading the company to release another larger HomePod.

The new HomePod looks virtually identical to the original, although it is 0.2 inches shorter and has a larger edge-to-edge LED touchscreen on top. Costello told TechCrunch that Apple's teams "really love" this shape and form for the full-size HomePod and "were able to create a wonderful system within that structure."

Costello explained why the new HomePod is limited to the older Wi-Fi 4 standard, compared to Wi-Fi 6 on other modern Apple devices:

"HomePod features Wi-Fi 4 connectivity that allows us to target exactly what works best in the entire system," Costello tells TechCrunch, "making sure Siri requests are responsive, and ensuring a consistent experience for all you are listening to, controlling your smart home accessories and more — all while being energy efficient."

He also elaborated on the inability to pair a new HomePod with an original HomePod:

"When creating a stereo pair, it's important that the audio characteristics match for an optimal, balanced experience," says Costello of the lack of compatibility. "The new HomePod delivers immersive, room-filling sound users love — with even more detail, clarity and layers than the original HomePod — so we wanted the acoustical imaging to be as pure and consistent as possible from generation to generation. The principle of having audio characteristics match in a stereo pair applies to HomePod mini, the original HomePod and the new HomePod."

Apple told both media publications that the HomePod mini is "popular," but did not provide any additional details or comment on the future of the smaller speaker.

In his interview with Men's Journal, Costello provides additional details about the new HomePod's hardware and technologies, including the four-inch high-excursion woofer, tweeters, beamforming microphones, room-sensing capabilities, and more.

The new HomePod is available to pre-order for $299 and launches this Friday in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., Japan, Australia, and select other countries. Check out our HomePod review roundup for a hands-on look at the speaker, which many reviewers found to have largely the same sound quality as the original.

Article Link: Apple Explains Why HomePod Was Released Again, Wi-Fi 4 Limitation, and More

 

[Eldaerenth Faexidor]

Still no 7.1 speaker setup. C’mon Apple it’s 2023 for crying out loud.

 

[nwcs]

In other words a bunch of lame marketing speak that tries to obfuscate real reasons for wifi 4 and lack of stereo mating.

 

[ZMacintosh]

Chan said a whole lot of nothing.

 

[kyleh22]

Still no 7.1 speaker setup. C’mon Apple it’s 2023 for crying out loud.

I would love an Apple surround sound set up similar to Sonos!

 

[coachgq]

Now is the perfect time to allow the mini to be rear/satellite speakers in the setup.

 

[Chriss_m]

What an obvious load of twaddle.

 

[anthogag]

The explanation about using an older WiFi says nothing. The explanation needs clarification. 🤔

 

[jarman92]

Why would the WiFi need to be "energy efficient?" It's plugged into the wall.

 

[lyngo]

I smell bologna.

 

[gmanist1000]

These are not answers. These are marketing responses.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

HomePod should never have been discontinued.

Is this all marketing talk because I’m not understanding what to get out of this interview?

 

[Techwatcher]

His wifi 4 explanation is 100% BS. The damn thing is plugged in and 6 would not be a major difference energy wise.

 

[Carlson-online]

it's wifi 4 because that's what the apple watch chip they put inside it supports. simple as.

 

[sorgo †]

“Even more layers” than the original, and with fewer tweeters? Wow, I guess their products really must be magical.

(I’m calling B.S.)

 

[Donga120]

We all know it was cancelled because of the issues the OG had

 

[MrENGLISH]

US:

APPLE:

 

[sorgo †]

Classic Apple damage control corpo-garble is always comedic gold

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Classic Apple damage control corpo-garble is always comedic gold

The funny thing is HomePod is not even out yet so why do they have their Defense Shields 🛡️ on already? 🤥

 

[Unregistered 4U]

This day: Apple gives reasons.
Forever into the future: AND APPLE NEVER GAVE REASONS (that I would accept) FOR…

 

[barryblack]

I think both reasons are pretty obvious. For a stereo system you're always going to want matched speakers. You would never buy two different right/lefts in a home theater system. You'd also want a center channel from the same line as your right/lefts. Sure apple could work around it or let you do it anyway but why would they bother spending money to build something that isn't going to be great anyway.

On the wifi front, it's using an older wifi b/c it's using Apple Watch tech that probably only supports that Wifi. Plus it's not like streaming audio requires that much bandwidth that you need newer tech. It's fine and does the job.

 

[jent]

I had to look it up and Wi-Fi 4 is 802.11n, one generation before 802.11ac, which is what Apple's discontinued line of wireless routers had when its latest model launched in 2013.

You have to imagine that in the future, older wifi specs won't be broadcast (a lot of newer routers by default don't broadcast 802.11b) for optimization purposes, so by sticking to such old technology, it makes me think users will run into compatibility problems on some networks in the reasonably near future. I know five years is a long time in the tech world, but if you buy a nice shiny HomePod now, you want the option of it working a long time, whether to relegate it to a secondary device in your home, give it away as a working tech product to a friend, or to sell it used to recoup some costs while giving someone the chance to get nice tech at a reasonable price.

 

[ghanwani]

I thought it was possible to pair old and new. Interesting that it's not.

The WiFi 4 justification sounds like a made up excuse.

What he says about audio performance being better than the original doesn't seem to be the case.

Costello definitely has a future in DC.

 

[CarAnalogy]

They heard requests for a new homepod, but not requests for the ability to place an icon on my screen where I want it? Or for RCS? Or any of the other things people have been begging them for loudly and publicly?

The thing about wifi 4 was an absolute non answer. Worse than a non answer. It’s a complete non sequitur.

The only thing he said that made any sense was that the first and second generation are too different for an identical sounding stereo pair, which is so obvious an explanation was not necessary.

Getting really tired of companies ignoring what people actually ask them and just say whatever the company line is with no repercussions whatsoever.

 

[bunty07]

Technical reasons

Our chip only supports WiFi 4

More reasons

We did not make enough money on OG Homepod

We had to find ways to make more money and give less, hence wifi4, less tweeters, less microphones, same design, etc.