Apple’s New HomePod Is On Sale for the First Time

In January, Apple surprised many of us by reintroducing the HomePod, a full-sized smart speaker. Starting at a lower price of $299 with a similar build and new smart home features with more robust audio.

Five months later, we're seeing the first-ever discount on Apple's second-generation HomePod. Like the first discount on AirPods Pro second-gen, this is only $20, but that knocks the price down to just $279 at B&H Photo. It's the lowest price ever for Apple's newest smart speaker.

HomePod 2nd Gen in White ($279, originally $299 at B&H Photo)

Like the first-gen, the second-gen HomePod is a circular smart speaker standing 6.6 inches tall. It's wrapped outer woven shell that both guides audio out through a custom pattern and makes it feel at home in a home.

Unlike the Mini or competing speakers from Amazon or Google, the HomePod only comes in two shades: white or Midnight. B&H Photo is taking $20 off the White HomePod and $10 off the Midnight variant. Either way, you get robust audio and the same feature set. One difference in the design of the second generation is a larger glowing screen up top where you can tell if Siri is listening or touching for playback controls. The power cord is also user removable, making moving this around easier.

Related: Apple HomePod (2nd Gen) Review

Inside though, is what makes the HomePod work so well—centered is a 4-inch high-excursion woofer with five horn-loaded tweeters—each one with a neodymium magnet—to produce a clear, loud sound that gets pushed out in all directions. Controlling all of this is Apple's S7 chip, a system sensor to EQ the audio in real-time, and five microphones in total.

In our testing, the HomePod second-gen sounded great, with a keen ability to play music with excellent separation between instruments on a track regardless of the volume. Even at full blast, the audio pushed out was clear, crisp and vibrant. It sounded great, and Spatial Audio tracks from Apple Music aided immersion. The speaker itself is constantly listening and adjusting the mix in real-time through processing, AI and listening to how it sounds.

Of course, two HomePod smart speakers used in a stereo pairing deliver a wall of sound and can rival a complete home theater setup. You can easily pair two HomePods, just like the HomePod Minis, with an Apple TV 4K for an easy upgrade over your TV's speakers.

Related: Apple TV 4K (3rd Gen) Review

The HomePod also provides instant access to Siri for any requests ranging from controlling the smart home, playing a specific song, answering a topical question or even sending a message. Apple added a few additional connections and sensors inside. The second-generation HomePod features temperature and humidity sensors and is a complete home hub for the smart home.

If you're in the Apple ecosystem, the HomePod is the best smart speaker for those who want class-leading audio with support for Spatial Audio and some extra smart home chops. You can also score it at the lowest price ever from B&H Photo for $279 in White. That's a $20 savings, and if you'd like the Midnight color, B&H is discounting that model by $10 to $289.

• HomePod 2nd Gen in White ($279, originally $299 at B&H Photo)
• HomePod 2nd Gen in Midnight ($289, originally $299 at B&H Photo)

Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.