Apple's HomePod mini 2 is out. MacRumors reports that the first pre-orders are arriving with customers on 30 October and that the speaker is now on sale at most Apple Store locations around the world, two and a half weeks after Apple announced it.
The short version: a newer chip, faster wireless, five colours, and a headline feature, Siri AI, that isn't on it yet.
What's new
Apple's announcement on 13 October says HomePod mini 2 is powered by the Apple S10 chip and "advanced computational audio", analysing music in real time to optimise dynamic range, loudness and acoustic performance. It comes in pink, green, blue, white and midnight.
MacRumors has lined the hardware up against the original model:
- the S10 chip replaces the S5;
- Wi-Fi 6E replaces Wi-Fi 4;
- Bluetooth 6 replaces Bluetooth 5;
- there are three microphones for Siri, down from four;
- it is 3% lighter.
MacRumors also notes that while Apple says the S10 enables computational audio, Apple did not explicitly confirm whether the new speaker sounds better than the original. On the microphones, the outlet says it is unclear whether users will notice the difference.
Price
In the US, HomePod mini 2 is $149, according to Apple. MacRumors points out that the previous HomePod mini started at $99 and rose to $129 after a price increase in June. Apple says customers in the US and more than 23 other countries and regions could pre-order it.
Siri AI comes later
The feature Apple leads with is Siri AI, and it is not on the speaker at launch. Apple says it is "coming to HomePod mini 2 in a future software update", in English, in the US, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the UK.
There are conditions. According to Apple's fine print, Siri AI requires the owner of the home in the Home app to have an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad, and personal-context requests need a paired Apple Intelligence-enabled device. Apple says that once Siri AI is enabled on a supported speaker, people in the home without such a device still get its broader knowledge, conversation and music discovery. HomePod mini can recognise up to six users in a household by voice, Apple says.
Features that need other hardware
Some of the bigger claims depend on what else you own:
- Surround sound. Apple says four-speaker surround needs four HomePod mini 2 or HomePod (2nd generation) speakers in front and rear pairs, with the new Apple TV 4K (4th generation).
- Mac speaker. HomePod mini 2 can act as a Mac's speaker, which Apple says works on all Macs with Wi-Fi 6E or later.
- Sound Glow. The top of the speaker glows and pulses in time with music, colour-matched to the album art. MacRumors says Sound Glow has also come to the original HomePod mini.
Apple also lists Sound Recognition, which listens for smoke or carbon monoxide alarms and sends a notification to your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, though its fine print says the feature should not be relied on in high-risk or emergency situations. Apple says HomePod mini 2 is compatible with HomePod software 27.2.
Mia's take: If you already own a HomePod mini, the case for upgrading today is thin: the biggest feature isn't here yet, Sound Glow has come to your speaker anyway, and Apple hasn't explicitly confirmed the new one sounds better. Wi-Fi 6E and surround with the new Apple TV are real gains, but for most people the sensible move is to wait until Siri AI actually ships and see how it performs.
Reporting notes