Apple HomePods in Malaysia: What you need to know
Apple will finally bring its HomePod series here in Malaysia, marking the debut of the tech giant’s smart speakers on our shores. The two models slated for launch is the HomePod (2nd gen) and HomePod mini, both of which will be available starting 10th May 2024.
The official price has also been released, with the HomePod (2nd gen) priced at RM1,549 and the HomePod mini at RM529.
If you are a new subscriber, Apple will bundle six months of Apple Music for free with the purchase of any HomePod or HomePod mini.
Of the two, the HomePod (2nd Gen) is the newer model, having had its initial release in the U.S. market in February 2023. The HomePod mini, on the other hand, was launched way back in 2020.
If you’re new to the HomePod scene, this is Apple’s take on smart speakers. It’s another cog in the expansive Apple ecosystem, allowing the speakers to interact seamlessly with other Apple devices, such as your iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, to name a few.
Central to this is Apple Siri, which comes installed in the HomePod (2nd Gen) and HomePod mini. With Apple’s virtual assistant, users are able to control the speakers via voice command, thus allowing users to search for music by artist, song, lyrics, decade, genre, mood, or activity.
The HomePod line up is compatible with Apple Music, giving access to a catalogue of over 100 million songs.
Among other features of the HomePod series is the ability to create smart home automations hands-free. Users are able to set recurring daily automations, and even set into motion other compatible smart home appliances at the same time with a set word or phrase.
There’s also the Intercom function, which blasts announcements across other HomePods around the house.
The HomePod models can be used either as a single unit, or create a stereo pair with another HomePod in the same space. Do note that to activate stereo pair, it has to be with a HomePod of the same model (eg. two HomePods (2nd gen) or two HomePod minis).
You can also pair the HomePods with the Apple TV 4K for a home theatre experience, and even control the Apple TV with the speakers via voice command.
If you’re wondering what’s different between the HomePod (2nd Gen) and HomePod mini, aside from the drastic difference in size, the HomePod (2nd Gen) in powered by the Apple S7 chip. It comes with room sensing technology which detects if the speaker is free-standing or placed against a wall in order to adapt sounds. Additionally, it’s built with a high-excursion woofer, a built-in bass-EQ mic, and a beamforming array of five tweeters for a powerful acoustic experience. Plus, it has support for immersive Spatial Audio tracks.
The Apple HomePod (2nd Gen) is available in White, and Midnight.
As for the HomePod mini, this is a much smaller and portable model. It’s powered by the Apple S5 chip, which is able to apply complex tuning models to optimize volume and dynamic range. The speakers are fitted with a total of four microphones – one of which is inward-facing in order to isolate sound coming from the speakers – to improve voice detection. The HomePod mini misses out on room sensing technology and does not support Spatial Audio.
The HomePod mini is available in a variety of colours, including Orange, Yellow, Blue, Space Grey, and White.
Apple Malaysia has already listed the HomePod (2nd gen) and HomePod mini on its website, for more information, check out the official product pages.
Apple HomePod Compatibility Info
- HomePod (2nd generation) is compatible with iPhone SE (2nd generation) and later, or iPhone 8 and later; or iPad Pro, iPad (5th generation) and later, iPad Air (3rd generation) and later, or iPad mini (5th generation) and later. The latest version of iOS and iPadOS is recommended.
- HomePod mini is compatible with iPhone SE, iPhone 6s or later, or iPod touch (7th generation); or iPad Pro, iPad (5th generation or later), iPad Air 2 or later, or iPad mini 4 or later. The latest version of iOS and iPadOS is recommended.
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