Apple's larger HomePod returns with upgraded audio and more smart home tools
Perhaps the most interesting updates to the HomePod are its smart home tools. First, a feature called Sound Recognition can monitor for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and send an alert to your iPhone if it hears one. Unfortunately, this tool won't be available until a software update delivers it"later this spring." Apple is also clear it shouldn't be relied on for emergencies. There's a new built-in temperature and humidity sensor that keeps tabs on the environment.
With Siri, you can control individual devices or create scenes to employ several at once. That isn't new, but HomePod will now play a confirmation tone so that even though a connected device may not show a change, you'll know your request was granted. Since Matter is all the rage these days, the new HomePod can connect to and control gadgets compatible with that smart home standard.
This HomePod is the first that uses 100 percent recycled gold for circuit boards. The speaker's magnet is also made with 100 percent recycled rare earth metals. Apple says it redesigned the packaging to reduce plastic use and a new Midnight color option is made with 100 percent recycled mesh fabric. from Apple and ships February 3rd. At $299, it's $50 cheaper than the original model when it first debuted.
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