First look: Apple announced a wide range of smart home devices at its Welcome Home event in New York, including the second-generation HomePod mini. The new smart speaker has a similar design to its predecessor but offers several upgrades, including support for the revamped Siri AI via a future OTA update.
The headline feature of the HomePod mini 2 is its impending support for Siri AI, which will be rolled out via a future update in the US, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, and the UK.
Apple says that following the update, the device will be "profoundly more capable" with an understanding of personal context and extensive knowledge across a wide range of subjects, helping users discover new music and enjoy richer listening experiences, among other things.
The mini 2 can be used either as a standalone speaker or as part of a mesh network of up to four units to create a multi-room stereo system. The multi-speaker network works with the new Apple TV 4K, which debuted at the same event alongside the HomeView smart-home hub, as well as the "Apple Home" range of smart cameras, door locks, and thermostats.
The HomePod mini 2 can be controlled with voice commands to set up accessories and run home automations. When paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad, it can help users complete simple tasks, such as finding a song recommended by a friend, setting a reminder tied to a calendar event or location, finding a recipe from an email, or adding ingredients to a grocery list.
The new speaker introduces an interactive visual lighting effect built into its top surface. Named Sound Glow, the feature transforms the flat touch area into a dynamic visual canvas displaying lighting pulses in sync with audio playback in real time, reacting especially to changes in bass and treble. The feature also generates unique light experiences to match the colors from the song's album art.
The speaker can also recognize up to six users in a household by voice and securely connect to their compatible devices when authorized. Once connected, Siri AI integrates with supported apps, such as Messages and timers, and can find answers for user queries on the internet, even while playing music.
Despite its diminutive size, the HomePod mini 2 is claimed to deliver impressive acoustic performance. This is driven by the Apple S10 chip's advanced computational audio capabilities, which analyze music playback in real time to optimize dynamic range, vocal clarity, frequency response, spatial balance, acoustic tuning, and soundstage.
The HomePod mini 2 is available for pre-order in pink, green, blue, white, and midnight colorways on Apple's official online store and the Apple Store app, with in-store availability beginning Friday, October 30. The device is priced at $149, which is a $50 increase over the $99 asking price for the first-generation model.
Apple unveils HomePod mini 2 with Siri AI and a $50 price hike
