Siri AI support on the new HomePod mini 2 will be "available later" as part of a "future software update," according to Apple. In other words, do not expect Siri AI to be available on the speaker when it launches on Friday, October 30.
Siri AI on the HomePod mini 2 will require an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad for requests involving personal context.
Apple today shared four new videos on its YouTube channel highlighting the newly announced HomeView smart home hub, fourth-generation Apple TV 4K, and HomePod mini 2.
The longest video, "Welcome Apple HomeView: Designed for life at home," follows a family through a busy morning. It shows Siri helping retrieve a French toast recipe sent in Messages, locate misplaced keys, and check evening plans, alongside a FaceTime call with grandparents.
A second, shorter HomeView video provides an overview of the device's features, including personalized experiences for up to six users, FaceTime calls, Spatial Audio, and smart home controls. It also highlights the 7-inch Liquid Retina display and its customizable collection of display faces.
The HomePod mini 2 video focuses on the speaker's sound and compact design, showing its green, pink, blue, midnight, and white finishes. It also promotes multiroom audio and Siri AI, which Apple says will arrive on HomePod mini 2 in a future software update.
The Apple TV 4K video highlights Dolby Vision and HDR10+ playback, hands-free Siri control using built-in microphones, and the ability to play a sound to locate the updated Siri Remote. Apple also promotes the new four-speaker surround sound setup, which supports HomePod mini 2 and second-generation HomePod speakers in matching front and rear pairs.
Today's announcements also included the Apple Home Collection, a lineup of cameras, a door lock, thermostats, and sensors developed with LG and Schneider.
The HomeView, new Apple TV 4K, and HomePod mini 2 are available to pre-order today. The HomePod mini 2 launches on October 30, while the HomeView and new Apple TV 4K launch on November 13.
Apple today announced a new HomePod mini equipped with Siri AI, new colors, and improved audio experiences. The new HomePod mini has an S10 chip that supports advanced computational audio, and Apple says it optimizes dynamic range, loudness, and acoustic performance in real-time.
A Sound Glow feature turns the HomePod mini's top into a "visual canvas" that glows and animates in sync with music, reacting to bass and treble. It uses colors generated from the song's album artwork for a unique experience for each song.
Four HomePod minis can be paired together to create a four-speaker surround sound with the latest Apple TV 4K, which Apple also announced today. The speakers and the Apple TV are able to recognize their position in the room and levels are calibrated to the space. The HomePod mini also works as a speaker for the Mac.
Siri AI will be available in a future software update, and will work when the HomePod mini is paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad. It will be able to recognize up to six users by voice and connect to their device for personalized information like Messages.
As with the prior version of the HomePod mini, the new model is able to serve as a home hub and control smart home devices. It supports Sound Recognition and can listen for smoke or carbon monoxide alarms, sending an alert if one is detected.
The HomePod mini 2 comes in pink, green, blue, white, and midnight and will launch on October 30. It's priced at $149 and pre-orders open now.
Apple's new HomePod mini will share the same design as the original model and come in five colors, MacRumors has found.
The information originates from Apple's own code (spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris) and shows clear product images of the new models in all of their colors. The above image contains Apple's own icons, which specifically refer to a "HomePod mini 2."
The new HomePod mini will come in green, pink, blue, white, and black. The current model comes in yellow, orange, blue, white, and midnight. The new blue is slightly lighter than the current offering.
We are not sharing the exact details of the files, but their presence in Apple's code suggests that the product is likely to launch soon.
Apple announced the original HomePod mini in October 2020 for $99. Available initially in white and space gray, the 3.3-inch speaker features a fabric-covered spherical design and a backlit touch surface for playback and volume controls. Its S5 chip powers computational audio, while a full-range driver, two passive radiators, and an acoustic waveguide deliver 360-degree sound. It also offers Siri, smart home control, multiroom audio, stereo pairing with a second HomePod mini, and Intercom messages between Apple devices. Apple later raised the price to $129.
Apple has been rumored to be working on a new HomePod mini model for several years. A new chip is almost certain to come to the device, along with support for Siri AI. It is expected to launch before the end of 2026.
Anmelden
Siri AI support on the new HomePod mini 2 will be "available later" as part of a "future software update," according to Apple. In other words, do not expect Siri AI to be available on the speaker when it launches on Friday, October 30.
