Apple's HomePod 2.0 Fails to Live Up to the Hype

Rumors of a new and improved HomePod have been circulating for months, with Apple promising a high-performance chip similar to that of their latest Apple Watch, a bright and large touch screen, an affordable price tag of around 30,000 yen, and an upgraded Siri that would be faster and smarter than ever before. However, now that the HomePod 2.0 has finally been released, it appears that these promises have failed to live up to expectations. The HomePod 2.0 is equipped with the same processor as its predecessor – not the much-touted Apple Watch chip – making it no more powerful than its predecessor. Furthermore, while the touch screen is indeed larger than before, users are reporting that it is still too small for many tasks such as web browsing or video streaming. The price tag of 30,000 yen also falls short of expectations; some had hoped for a more affordable device in order to make it accessible to more people. Finally, while Siri has seen some improvements in speed and accuracy over previous versions of the device, these improvements are minimal at best and do not seem worth the upgrade cost for most users. In short, despite all the hype surrounding its release this year, Apple’s HomePod 2.0 fails to deliver on many fronts – leaving consumers disappointed yet again by an overhyped product from one of tech’s biggest names.