HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything to do with Apple’s smart home framework.
HomeKit speakers have an interesting place in the Home app. They’re primarily there so you can name a speaker and assign it to a room in your home. Then you can stream audio to it over AirPlay 2 and control audio playback with Siri. There’s not much more to HomeKit speakers than that yet.
Libratone Zipp is a portable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speaker that retroactively gained AirPlay 2 support this month through a free software update. The portable speaker now has a place in the Home app with other HomeKit accessories like HomePod and newer Sonos speakers, and it plays nice with these speakers with AirPlay 2.
The combination of Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, and a built-in battery makes it a versatile option for HomePod-like audio without always being anchored to a power outlet.
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