Apple expected to launch refreshed HomePod mini with new chip this year

Apple is expected to release a refreshed HomePod mini this year featuring a faster chip, according to MacRumors. The new model is said to use a processor based on the same S-series architecture found in the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and upcoming Series 11.

References to a HomePod mini with a T8310-based chip were discovered in Apple’s latest iOS 26 beta code, under the codename B525—a likely successor to the current B520 model.

Beyond the updated processor, the next-generation HomePod mini may include an Apple-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combo chip with Wi-Fi 6E support. New color options are also rumored.

The report follows after Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claimed at the beginning of the year that a new HomePod mini would appear toward the end of 2025, offering improved performance and enhanced sound quality.