The second-generation Apple HomePod is down to $285 in a rare sale

The last one Apple HomePod speaker sells for $285 at B&H Photo, which is $14 less than buying directly from Apple. This isn’t the biggest cash discount we’ve seen from Apple before in a package the device with a $50 gift card during Black Friday. But deals of any kind have been rare for the home speaker since it arrived in early 2023, so this modest drop still represents the lowest price we’ve seen in a few months. The discount applies to both the black and white versions of the speaker.

Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget

This discount isn’t an all-time low, but deals of any kind on Apple’s top-of-the-line smart speaker are uncommon.

$285 at B&H Photo

We gave the second-generation HomePod a score of 84 in our review last year. It will make the most sense if you’re a particularly dedicated Apple user who prioritizes sound quality. It still works easily with other Apple devices and services, from the iPhone to Apple TV to Apple Music, and overall we think it sounds richer and clearer than competing smart speakers from Amazon and Google. As a smart home device, it’s compatible with Matter and Thread in addition to Apple’s own HomeKit protocol, so you can use it to control a growing range of security cameras, thermostats, outlets and other smart home accessories. It also has built-in temperature and humidity sensors, and the included microphones do a good job of picking up your voice over the noise.

To be clear, this is still an expensive and relatively niche device. Speakers like the Sonos Five and Sonos Era 300 cost more but offer louder and more dynamic sound quality, while the Sonos Era 100 might be a better value if you’re looking to save a little more money. Apple’s own HomePod Mini has almost all the same smart home features if that’s your main concern, while Google Assistant and Alexa users still have to look to Google’s Nest Audio or an Amazon Echo device. The HomePod also has its issues: Siri isn’t the most capable voice assistant, it doesn’t have Bluetooth audio, you can’t customize its EQ, and you need workaround to control Spotify by voice. Rumors of a touchscreen-enabled HomePod have also floated over the past year. All that said, if you’re all-in on Apple, this is a decent chance to save on the company’s top-of-the-line home speaker.

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