Apple HomePod (1st generation) · Apple Newsroom — Images_of_homepod/HomePod-Availability_interior-placement_012218.jpg
Apple · HomePod
HomePod (1st generation)
Apple's original full-size Siri speaker, with a woofer, seven tweeters and automatic room tuning. AirPlay and later software updates provide multi-room, stereo pairing and Dolby Atmos playback.
- Type
- Speaker
- Atmos
- Yes
- Connects by
- Wi-Fi
- Battery
- –
- Weight
- 2.5 kg
What reviewers say
Both reviews praise powerful, spacious sound and easy setup, but criticise dependence on Apple's ecosystem. What Hi-Fi finds Siri effective for music and stereo pairing worthwhile; TechRadar finds Siri limited and encounters unreliable paired playback. Both hear some congestion in complex music. Their tests reflect the software available at the time.
From whathifi.com, techradar.com and techradar.com
Specifications
Report a wrong or missing specSound
- Type
- Speaker
- Dolby Atmos
- Yes
- Drivers
- High-excursion woofer; seven horn-loaded tweeters
- Amplifiers
- Custom amplifier for the woofer and a separate custom amplifier for each tweeter
- Audio formats
- Dolby Atmos home cinema with Apple TV 4K was added in software 14.2; Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos and Apple Music lossless playback were added in 15.1
- Room tuning
- Direct and ambient audio beamforming; computational audio for real-time tuning; internal low-frequency calibration microphone for automatic bass correction; Apple A8 processor
Connections
- Wi-Fi
- Yes
- Bluetooth
- No
- AirPlay
- Yes
- Voice assistants
- Siri
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11ac with MIMO
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.0 radio; no Bluetooth audio streaming (TechRadar)
- Ports
- Mains power cable; no analogue audio input (TechRadar)
- Streaming
- Apple Music, iTunes purchases, iCloud Music Library with an Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription, supported third-party services, radio and podcasts; AirPlay from iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV or Mac
- Multi-room
- AirPlay 2 multi-room audio and stereo pairing with another original HomePod were added in iOS 11.4 after launch
- App
- Home app; initial setup requires a compatible Apple mobile device and Wi-Fi internet access
Design
- Weight
- 2.5 kg
- Controls
- Tap to play or pause, double-tap to skip, triple-tap to skip back; touch and hold for Siri; tap or hold + or – for volume
- Microphones
- Six-microphone array for far-field Siri; separate internal low-frequency calibration microphone
- Size
- 172 mm high, 142 mm wide
- Colours
- Space Grey, White
- In the box
- HomePod, documentation
Pros and cons
Pros
- Automatic room tuning and bass correction
- AirPlay 2 multi-room audio and stereo pairing after software updates
- Dolby Atmos with Apple TV 4K and supported software
Cons
- No Bluetooth audio playback or line-in
- Needs a compatible Apple mobile device and Wi-Fi for setup
- Requires mains power
Closest rivals
Model | Type | Atmos | Connects by | Battery | Weight | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speaker | Yes | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | – | 3.5 kg | Nov 2019 | |
| Speaker | No | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | – | 0.97 kg | Oct 2020 | |
| Speaker | Yes | Wi-Fi | – | 2.3 kg | Feb 2023 |
Newer model: HomePod (2nd generation).
Sources
- support.apple.com/kb/SP773
- apple.com/uk/newsroom/2018/01/homepod-arrives-february-9-available-to-order-thi…
- support.apple.com/en-gu/108045
- support.apple.com/en-gb/102357
- techradar.com/reviews/apple-homepod-review
Photo: Apple Newsroom — Images_of_homepod/HomePod-Availability_interior-placement_012218.jpg
- HomePod 1st generation — Space Grey speaker, front view: Apple — official supplied product photograph
