Apple Inc hasn’t really shone when it comes to smart speakers, like it has done for smartphones or smartwatches.

Its HomePod — launched in 2017 and discontinued in 2021 — was good but didn’t make a dent in the market. Though the HomePod mini is still around, it is not as popular as the Amazon Echo devices. Apple wants to change all that with the new HomePod.

At Rs 32,990, the new HomePod looks almost identical to the older model.

It retains its cylindrical shape with a mesh pattern all around. At first glance,it will be tough to distinguish between the old and new models, but Apple has made some subtle changes — the display screen on top has an always visible volume control and the power cord is now a detachable one.

The HomePod delivers a rich and immersive experience while playing music despite a reduction in the number of beamforming tweeters to five from seven. There is also a high excursion subwoofer for that extra thump.

The HomePod has a new sensor that automatically optimises sound based on where the speaker is kept and what kind of music genre is being played.The vocals are crisp and the bass packs in just the right amount of punch.The instrument separation is handled perfectly.It will certainly appeal to aficionados of the Apple ecosystem. It can be set up using only Apple devices. Apple Music remains its default music service, but you can stream from services like Gaana and others.

If you have an Apple TV box, then the HomePod can be used as a TV speaker.

However, the number of third-party devices that can be linked is lower compared to Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant, as Siri’s capabilities still need to be refined for it to become the go-to voice assistant on a smart speaker. As a standalone music speaker, the HomePod is much better than what the competition has to offer and is the best-sounding one in terms of its audio quality.