Apple reveals why it brought back the HomePod

[iMore.com]

Apple has revealed why it decided to bring back the large HomePod and way the new one doesn't work with the original. Full story from the iMore Blog...

 

[Up_And_Away]

Here’s the 2 Q/As

Q, in 2023, why WI-FI 4? ”HomePod features Wi-Fi 4 connectivity that allows us to target exactly what works best in the entire system, making sure Siri requests are responsive, and ensuring a consistent experience for all you are listening to, controlling your smart home accessories and more — all while being energy efficient.”
Imho too much marketing jargon. WiFi 4 has a max bandwidth of, I think, 500 Mbps. WAY way for than enough for lossless music and Siri requests. ‘Why put the cost of Wi-Fi 6 into something that will never ever need it”?
But it is still a bit odd and makes me think their own testing revealed Wi-Fi 4 had better connection fidelity.

Q, why can’t 2 HomePods be stereo paired? His answer is spot on. It was, in effect, You don’t use L and R speakers that are different response, internal speaker arrangements etc. if you are selling a premium product you’d never want someone wondering why L and R sound too different.