Home stretch

Up in price and down on speaker count, does the new HomePod still sound like a party starter?

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₹32,900 / apple.com/in

■ The new HomePod is a resurrection of the OG smart speaker launched in 2018. The overall stance and aesthetic remain similar, and it is still covered in recycled mesh fabric that is soft and squidgy to touch. It does get a larger touch panel with a more vibrant Siri plasma up top.

■ Apple has made progress by increasing computational power and reducing components. You have two fewer tweeters and two less microphones and yet, within the first five minutes of using this new HomePod, it’s easy to tell that it possesses more clarity and listens to you more keenly across the room.