When picking the right portable wireless speaker, there are several parameters that you may need to consider. It all comes down to price, quality of audio, and the type of activity for which you would like to use it. Therefore here we discussed the key features of Sonos Move vs Homepod to let you decide more precisely about what would be best suited for you.
Before compare in detail, here are the key differences between the Sonos Move and the HomePod is that the Sonos Move has microphones that are always turned on and that you can use to connect with Google Assistant or Alexa. On the other hand, the HomePod uses Siri and can only be integrated with Apple products such as iPod, iPhone, or iPad
Here are complete Sonos Move Vs Homepod Comparison
 Sonos Move |  Homepod |
| With its inbuilt battery, weather resistance, and the option to choose between Alexa and the Google Assistant, the Sonos Move is the king of versatility. However, these features make it pricier than most, and for Apple Music subscribers, it doesn’t have the best service. | Along with Siri voice controls for music and HomeKit, Apple’s HomePod delivers huge sound in an exceptionally small size. However, as the HomePod is actually limited to Apple Music only, it is best suited for those on Apple who are all-in and do not expect to change things anytime soon. |
| $399.00 | $299.00 |
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Pros
| Pros | Pros |
| Excellent sound quality. | High-quality audio. |
| Alexa and Google on-board. | Siri voice commands. |
| Portable with rechargeable battery. | Works with HomeKit accessories. |
| Supports AirPlay 2. | Stereo pairing with another HomePod. |
| IP 56 weather resistance. | Supports AirPlay 2. |
Cons
| Cons | Cons |
| Expensive. | Still expensive. |
| No Apple Music voice commands. | Only works with Apple Music (for now). |
| Doesn’t support Siri. | Limited Siri capabilities. |
| Indoor use only, lacks battery. |
Design and Build Quality
| Sonos Move | Homepod |
| Sonos Move is much heavier and weighs 6.61 pounds. | HomePod that only weighs 5.5 pounds. |
| Sonos Move has a black grille and is only available in a smooth black color tone | Sonos Move is available in white or space gray. |
| Sonos Move is oval in shape to accommodate the battery design. | HomePod is cylindrical in shape. |
| Sonos Move has an IP56 rating weather-resistant capabilities. | HomePod is not waterproof. |
| Sonos Move is protected with a shock-resistant case that can handle minor falls and drops. | HomePod is fragile and could easily break when dropped. |
| You can switch to Bluetooth mode when you leave your house by tapping the button on the back of the speaker. | HomePod has colored LED lights on top to let you know it’s listening and are visible from everywhere. The display includes touch play, pause, and skip buttons. |
| Sonos Move has a USB C port for charging, but it also comes with a charging dock so that your speaker always has a full battery. | The power cord is made of the same mesh material to match HomePod. It’s the nicest power cord I’ve ever seen. |
Audio Quality
| Sonos Move | Homepod |
| There are two Class-D wireless amplifiers with Sonos Move, one mid-woofer and one downward-firing tweeter. | It has a seven-tweeter array and a six-microphone array |
| Sonos Move has Auto Trueplay, which means that the sound adjusts based on the surroundings of the speaker. You can hear the sound adjusted for the first minute as you switch the speaker until it slows down and calibrates completely | HomePod takes the data it gets from the microphones and makes a model of the room in real-time. Then, after the first couple of minutes of playing music, HomePod automatically tunes based on room conditions. |
| HomePod has the mind of a computer because it has the A8 processing chip (the same chip in iPhone 6). | |
| There’s an accelerometer that helps HomePod recognize when you move it and re-adjusts the sound. |
Compatibility
| Sonos Move | Homepod |
| Locate your favorite music service in the Sonos app, log into the service, then play music from your music service via the Sonos app. | Ask Siri. Apple Music, Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Radio.com, and TuneIn are compatible. |
| Ask Google Assistant. YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio. and Deezer are compatible. | AirPlay. You can AirPlay from any audio or music service from your iPhone. |
| Ask Alexa. Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Gimme Radio, and SiriusXM are compatible. | |
| AirPlay. iOS users can use their regular streaming apps and send the music to the Sonos speaker. | |
| Spotify Connect. Open the Spotify app, play a song, tap the speaker icon in the bottom left corner, send the music to your Sonos. | |
| Cast. You can cast to Sonos from Amazon Music and Pandora when you tap the cast icon and choose your Sonos. |
Battery
| Sonos Move | Homepod |
| Sonos Move can play music up to 10 hours on battery | HomePod needs to be plugged in to function. |
Set-Up and Controls
Both the HomePod and Sonos Move are fitted with Apple Airplay 2, which can be used to stream music to multiple speakers that are compatible. Setting up a HomePod on your Apple device is almost effortless.
You can place your Apple device near the HomePod and it will automatically transfer the audio from your device straight to the HomePod. You can connect both speakers to a 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz internet connection for better performance.
Sonos Move uses Alexa while the HomePod uses Siri.
Both can answer basic questions such as reminders, weather, calendar events, and many more. However, Alexa is able to process thousands of skills, making it a complete virtual assistant over Siri. You can also use Alexa to command other devices linked to the Sonos Move and this is something that Siri is unable to process yet.
Sonos Move can also integrate with Google Assistant, while the HomePod only communicates with Siri and the Apple Homekit.
Specs Overview
| Sonos Move | Homepod | |
| Size | 9.44″ x 6.29″ x 4.96″ | 5.6″ x 5.6″ x 6.8″ |
| Weight | 4.08lbs | 5.5lbs |
| Finishes | Black, White | Black, White |
| Weather Resistance | Yes (IP 56) | No |
| Built-in battery | Yes (11 hours) | No |
| Amplifiers | 2 | 7 |
| Tweeters | 1 | 7 |
| Woofers | 1 | 1 |
| Wall mountable | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Ethernet | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes (not for music playback) |
| AirPlay 2 | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-room audio | Yes (Sonos, AirPlay 2) | Yes (AirPlay 2) |
| Audio out | No | No |
| Voice controls | Yes (Alexa, Google) | Yes (Siri) |
| Smart home controls | Yes (Alexa, Google) | Yes (HomeKit) |
Verdict
Overall, outstanding music quality is provided by both the Sonos Move and the HomePod. In specific, when it comes to sound quality and price, it all comes down to your choice. Not to mention whether Android or Apple IOS are the basis of your ecosystem. If you want a compact wireless speaker that you can take around with you and deliver excellent sound at the same time, then the better option is the Sonos Move. It not only uses Alexa, but uses voice commands from Google as well.
But if you’re not concerned about versatility and you think more about the quality of sound, then the better alternative is the HomePod. When it comes to sound quality, the HomePod is much better. It can act as a HomeKit Hub as well.
About The Author
Hassan Zaka
I am an expert in accounting and possess diverse experience in technical writing. I have written for various industries on topics such as finance, business, and technology. My writing style is clear and simple, and I utilize infographics and diagrams to make my writing more engaging. I can be a valuable asset to any organization in need of technical writing services.
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