The HomePod mini 2 is now official, and it supports Siri AI, an improved home theater experience, and comes in fun new colors too.
HomePod mini 2 Gains Siri AI Capabilities, Faster Wi-Fi 6E Connectivity, Improved Sound, and More
In the midst of the HomeView and new Apple TV 4K, a new HomePod mini was announced too. It has a modest set of changes, and I’ll start with the fun one, which his colors.
Fun Speaker in Fun Colors
Apple’s HomePod mini is a fun-size speaker that comes in a bunch of great color options. The second-generation model ships in the following options: pink, green, blue, white, and midnight.
Siri AI
I’m not big on assistants in a speaker. Sure, they’re great for doing basic stuff like setting timers and alarms, but with HomePod mini 2, you get access to Siri AI, allowing you to really get detailed answers to your questions.
Siri AI is more useful on HomePod mini if you have an iPhone, iPad, or Mac with support for Siri AI as well. The speaker can simply tap into your data to give you personal context whenever you need it.
Apple says you really don’t need an Apple Intelligence-enabled device to take advantage of Siri AI on HomePod mini. The speaker gives you access to broad world knowledge, and it’s just a Hey Siri away.
Small Speaker, Big Sound
Despite its size, the HomePod mini has always been a great speaker. But this time, Apple is delivering further improvements, all made possible by the new S10 chip at the heart of it.
With computational algorithms running in the background all the time, the HomePod mini delivers sound unlike before, ensuring you get richer bass, more clarity, and overall improved audio.
You can actually pair up to four HomePod mini speakers with your new Apple TV 4K for a truly immersive home theater surround sound setup too.
Improved Wireless Technologies
The new HomePod mini features Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6.0 and Thread networking, which enables enhanced experiences, such as the ability to use the speaker as a default audio source for your Mac.
Sound Glow
As you start to play music on the HomePod mini, the top of the speaker starts to glow and pulse with what is being played. The speaker is no longer a boring little object that does nothing; it actually does something fun when playing your favorite music.
Pre-order and Price
According to Apple, the new HomePod mini 2 is available for pre-order today, and you can pick it up directly from a store on October 30th.
Priced at $149, the new HomePod mini is slightly expensive. But hey, it’s more powerful, sounds better, and gives you access to Siri AI. Maybe that extra $49 is worth it over the previous model after all.
