Where to pre-order Apple’s new £299 HomePod 2

The smart speaker has a built-in temperature sensor and they’re cheaper than the previous model

The new HomePod 2 is due to launch in early February (The Independent)

Hot on the heels of Apple’s announcement of a new 14in and 16in MacBook Pro and Mac mini comes the surprise launch of an all-new HomePod, two years after the tech giant axed the smart speaker from its line-up altogether.

Just like the recently released Amazon Echo Dot fifth generation, the new second-generation HomePod features a built-in temperature and humidity sensor, which can trigger smart home events and begin routines. The device can also sense where it’s positioned inside a room and adjust the sound based on the positioning.

There’s also a 64-bit dual-core S7 chip housed inside its mesh-fabric exterior – a chip that was first introduced in the 2021 Apple Watch series 7 – and the smart speaker now supports the smart home standards Matter and the wireless protocol Thread. 

While the original HomePod from 2018 cost £319 at launch, the new HomePod 2 costs £299. However, that’s still significantly more expensive than its competition. Our favourite smart speaker, the second-generation Sonos One, for example, cost £199 at launch (now £184.99, Johnlewis.com).

The second-generation HomePod is available to pre-order now, and will ship on 3 February. It sits alongside the cheaper and smaller HomePod Mini, released in 2020. Here’s where you can buy the new device.  

Apple HomePod 2: £299, Apple.com – available from 3 February

(Apple)

The all-new HomePod looks largely the same as the previous model from 2018, but it’s 0.2in shorter and 0.15kg lighter. The speaker system has also been pared down slightly, featuring one woofer and five tweeters, instead of the seven tweeters on the original HomePod, as well as five microphones rather than seven.

You can still arrange the speakers to form a stereo pair, but, annoyingly, you won’t be able to pair the original HomePod with the new one. Apple says Siri will be able to recognise up to six different voices and offer up personalised responses, based on who is asking the question. 

Read more: We round up the best wireless headphones

The company also says the HomePod will be able to listen out for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and deliver notifications via your iPhone in a future update. The device comes in either midnight or white and costs £299. You can pre-order the smart speaker from Apple today and it will ship on 3 February.

Pre-order now

Voucher codes

For the latest discounts on laptops and other tech offers, try the links below:

• Apple discount codes
• Very discount codes
• AO discount codes

Looking for a new MacBook Pro or Mac desktop computer? You can currently pre-order the new 2023 models