Apple is reportedly preparing to launch the HomePod mini 2 on October 13, delivering the first hardware update to the compact smart speaker since its introduction in 2020.
The new HomePod mini is expected to arrive alongside Apple’s next Apple TV and its long-awaited smart home hub as the company begins a major expansion of its home product lineup.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple plans to kick off its new smart home push on October 13.
The second-generation model is expected to look broadly similar to the current HomePod mini while receiving substantially newer internal hardware.
A faster processor is expected to provide the performance required for Apple’s Siri AI features, addressing one of the biggest limitations of the six-year-old original model.
The current HomePod mini uses Apple’s S5 chip, originally introduced with Apple Watch Series 5 in 2019.
Previous reports have pointed to a much newer Apple-designed chip for the replacement, alongside updated wireless connectivity and potential audio improvements.
Apple is also expected to introduce new color options.
The Apple Post previously reported that the HomePod mini 2 was expected to arrive in October, with Siri AI likely to become one of the biggest reasons to upgrade.
The new report narrows that window considerably, pointing specifically to October 13.
Siri AI is expected to transform the role of Apple’s home devices by allowing the assistant to understand personal context and perform more complex actions than the current HomePod experience.
The HomePod mini 2 is expected to work alongside Apple’s new smart home display, which will reportedly use Siri as its primary interface for controlling accessories, accessing personal information, and interacting with Apple services.
The launch will come after an unusually long lifespan for the original HomePod mini.
Apple introduced the speaker in October 2020, and while new colors have appeared since then, the underlying hardware has remained largely unchanged.
Apple raised the HomePod mini’s U.S. price from $99 to $129 earlier this year. In the United Kingdom, the speaker currently costs £129.
It isn’t yet clear whether the second-generation model will retain those prices.
The October 13 timing would also place the HomePod mini 2 launch just days before iPhone Duo pre-orders begin on October 16.