HomePod mini 2: Everything you need to know about Apple’s new smart speaker

Apple has unveiled HomePod mini 2, its first major update to the compact smart speaker since the original model launched in 2020.

The new HomePod mini introduces the S10 chip, new colors, Sound Glow, four-speaker surround sound with Apple TV 4K and support for Siri AI through a future software update. Apple announced the new model alongside HomeView, Apple TV 4K and its wider Apple Home Collection.

HomePod mini 2 is part of Apple’s broader smart home expansion, with the new speaker designed to work closely with Apple HomeView, the new Apple TV 4K and compatible Home accessories.

HomePod mini 2 gets the S10 chip

At the center of the new HomePod mini is Apple’s S10 chip, which powers advanced computational audio and analyzes music in real time to optimize dynamic range, loudness and acoustic performance.

Image: Apple

The overall compact shape remains familiar, with HomePod mini 2 measuring 84.3mm tall and using a full-range driver with dual force-cancelling passive radiators for 360-degree room-filling sound.

Siri AI is coming — but not at launch

HomePod mini 2 is built for Siri AI, Apple’s new conversational assistant powered by the latest generation of Apple Foundation Models. However, Siri AI will arrive through a future software update rather than being available immediately when the speaker launches.

When enabled, Siri AI can use personal context from an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad to help with requests involving Messages, Calendar and other apps. It can also answer broader questions using information from the web and hold more natural back-and-forth conversations.

Apple says HomePod mini can recognize up to six users in a household by voice. Even household members without an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad will be able to use Siri AI’s broad world knowledge and conversational capabilities once the feature is enabled.

Sound Glow brings music-reactive lighting

A new feature called Sound Glow turns the top surface of HomePod mini 2 into a visual element that reacts to music in real time. Colors are generated from the album artwork of the song currently playing and pulse in response to bass and treble.

Soundscapes such as rain can also trigger their own visual animations, giving the speaker a more ambient role when it is not being used for conventional music playback.

HomePod mini 2 supports four-speaker surround sound

HomePod mini 2 can now be used as part of a four-speaker surround sound setup with Apple TV 4K (4th generation). Two matching speakers are used at the front and two matching speakers at the rear, with Apple TV automatically determining their position and calibrating audio timing and levels to the room.

HomePod (2nd generation) can also participate in the four-speaker configuration, provided the front and rear speaker pairs match.

HomePod mini 2 can be used as a Mac speaker

The new speaker can also become the default audio output for compatible Mac computers with Wi-Fi 6E or later. Apple says the setup can be used for movies, gaming, FaceTime and video calls, with either a single HomePod mini or a stereo pair.

Five colors

HomePod mini 2 is available in pink, green, blue, white and midnight. Apple has also introduced a two-tone seamless mesh and color-matched woven power cable.

Smart home features remain central

HomePod mini 2 continues to function as an Apple Home hub, allowing users to securely control compatible accessories remotely and run automations. Built-in temperature and humidity sensors can also be used to trigger automations in the Home app.

Sound Recognition can listen for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and send critical notifications to iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. HomePod mini 2 also works with Apple Home Collection cameras and doorbells, including Face Recognition announcements when a known person arrives.

HomePod mini 2 price, pre-orders and release date

HomePod mini 2 costs $149 in the U.S. and £129 in the UK. Pre-orders are open now, with the new speaker arriving in stores and reaching customers on Friday, October 30.

Siri AI will initially be available in English in the U.S., Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the UK through a later free software update. HomePod mini 2 requires HomePod software 27.2.

For more coverage of Apple’s new smart home lineup, including HomeView and Apple TV 4K, download The Apple Post app on iPhone and iPad.