DevicesAudio
Apple
HomePod (2nd generation)
Confirm the current Apple price. Setup requires an iPhone or iPad.
- Thread
- AirPlay
- Bluetooth
- Siri
- HomeKit
Hardware
| Drivers | 4-inch high-excursion woofer and five horn-loaded tweeters |
|---|---|
| Size | 6.6 in high, 5.6 in wide, 5.16 lb (2.3 kg) |
| Sensors | Temperature and humidity, accelerometer. Four-mic array. Sound Recognition for smoke and CO alarms. |
| Radios | 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, Thread, Ultra Wideband. No Ethernet port. |
| Power | 100–240V, 50/60 Hz. Operating 32–95°F. |
Software
| Voice | Siri. Touch controls for play, skip, and volume. |
|---|---|
| Audio | Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, room sensing, stereo pair, AirPlay multiroom |
| Smart home | Apple Home hub with Thread. Apple’s footnote limits Thread to HomeKit- or Matter-enabled Thread accessories. |
| Setup | iPhone 8 or later, or a recent iPad, on current software. An Apple Account. |
What you buy with it
| What else you buy | Nothing else to make it a Thread home hub, if the household already uses Apple devices. |
|---|---|
| What it will not do | It will not set up from Android. It is not a Zigbee hub. |
| In the box | HomePod and a power cable |
Pros and cons
Drawn from the published specifications and what else you have to buy. Not a lab score.
Pros
- • Thread border router and a temperature/humidity sensor in a speaker you can hear.
- • Spatial audio and a stereo-pair option are on the spec page.
- • Smoke and CO sound recognition is listed, which is a safety feature rather than a music feature.
Cons
- • 802.11n Wi-Fi only, and no Ethernet jack.
- • An iPhone or iPad is mandatory for setup.
- • Siri and Apple Home are the platform. There is no Alexa on this speaker.
Compare inside Audio
A router can be compared with another router. It cannot be compared with a lock, a bulb, or a speaker.
Sources
Spec rows checked 2026-10-13. Street prices change after that date.