Amazon Echo Arrival For New Smart Speaker Competitors Apple HomePod

This new version of HomePod is equipped with audio enhancements and new smart home capabilities. (photo: dock. apple)

JAKARTA - Amazon's Echo smart speaker has a new competitor, HomePod. Apple is bringing this 2nd generation with a new design from 100 percent recycled material.

This new version of HomePod is equipped with audio enhancements and new smart home capabilities, including temperature and humidity sensors and the ability to notify users if they hear smoke alarms or carbon monoxide.

Apple continues to carry aesthetics closely attached to the original design. There will be two colors, namely white and gray wrapped in cloth, with a soft, curved acoustic transparent net around the speaker. Apple says the fabric itself is 100 percent recycled, and the power cable is made of weaving.

At the top, there is a backlit touch panel. Unlike the first generation HomePod, in the 2nd generation HomePod the entire surface is illuminated, not just the circle in the middle.

Different animations will be displayed when Siri listens and responds, while beatings and touches will work while playing and mediating music.

Inside, there is a specially engineered high-excursion woofer, which Apple says can move the speaker diaphragm up to full 20mm. There are also five tweeters, using beamforming to direct their sound and bass-EQ microphone.

This new homePod uses reflections of sound from the surrounding surface, either walls or other objects, so that it can adjust the music tuning in real-time.

The kitchen itself, powered by the Apple S7 chipset, supports Spatial Audio with one HomePod or a pair connected wirelessly. Users can also connect it wirelessly to Apple TV 4K, for TV and movie audio. Siri can then be used to control handsfree Apple TV 4K.

The features such as multi-room audio are also controlled by Siri, who will respond to the words "Hey Siri" wake-up, but also make it possible to submit iPhone audio by using Ultra Wideband to the nearest HomePod. It could include music, podcasts, and phone calls.

Meanwhile, Find My on HomePod can be used when the device is missing and can be found with voice commands. Furthermore, HomePod also functions as a HomeKit hub, but also has Matter support now.

Interestingly quoted from Apple's official website, Thursday, January 19, the HomePod microphone can listen to emergency sounds such as smoke alarms or carbon monoxide detectors, and request warning notifications on iPhones. Apple has also added temperature and humidity sensors, so that these factors can trigger HomeKit automation.

Siri can speak, which is equipped with sound backgrounds such as in oceans, forests, and rain. There is also a new confirmation tone that shows Siri has acted under instructions for an invisible device, for example in another room, a cupboard or one that shows no sign of change, such as a turning heating.

The new 2nd generation homePod starts today and will be available first in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK, the US, and 11 other countries. Delivery starts February 3.