# Apple HomePod (2nd Gen) vs Bose Home Speaker 500: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Apple HomePod (2nd Gen) (Apple) and Bose Home Speaker 500 (Bose) among smart speakers. Apple HomePod (2nd Gen) is the cheaper of the two at $299.

## Side by side

| Spec | Apple HomePod (2nd Gen) | Bose Home Speaker 500 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $299 | $379 |
| Brand | Apple | Bose |
| Released | 2023-02 | 2018-09 |
| Assistant | Siri | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Drivers | 1x 4-inch high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters (each with neodymium magnet) | 2x 2.5-inch full-range drivers (opposing sides, stereo) |
| Smart home hub | HomeKit hub, Matter, Thread Border Router | — |
| Audio calibration | Yes | No |
| Aux or line out | — | 3.5mm aux line-in |
| Dimensions (in) | 5.6 x 6.6 | 8.0 x 6.7 x 4.3 |
| Multiroom | Yes | Yes |

## Key differences

- Assistant: Apple HomePod (2nd Gen) Siri vs Bose Home Speaker 500 Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
- Drivers: Apple HomePod (2nd Gen) 1x 4-inch high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters (each with neodymium magnet) vs Bose Home Speaker 500 2x 2.5-inch full-range drivers (opposing sides, stereo)
- Audio calibration: Apple HomePod (2nd Gen) Yes vs Bose Home Speaker 500 No
- Dimensions (in): Apple HomePod (2nd Gen) 5.6 x 6.6 vs Bose Home Speaker 500 8.0 x 6.7 x 4.3

## What reviewers say

**Apple HomePod (2nd Gen)** — Three whitelisted testers (What Hi-Fi, TechRadar, SoundGuys) reviewed the HomePod 2 hands-on but published only qualitative impressions, so no lab dB or frequency numbers exist here. All praise rich, detailed sound and strong bass for the size, while flagging Apple-only lock-in, a weak Siri, and a high price. (3 sourced reviews.)

## Sources

- Apple HomePod (2nd Gen): https://support.apple.com/en-us/111843 (support.apple.com, verified 2026-06-15)
- Bose Home Speaker 500: https://www.soundguys.com/bose-home-speaker-500-review-83480/ (soundguys.com, verified 2026-06-15)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/smart-speakers/apple-homepod-2nd-gen-vs-bose-home-speaker-500/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Apple HomePod (2nd Gen) ($299) vs Bose Home Speaker 500 ($379) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/smart-speakers/apple-homepod-2nd-gen-vs-bose-home-speaker-500/
License: CC BY 4.0.