4 cool new features that make the HomePod Mini 2 worth it

Six years after the introduction of the original HomePod mini, Apple has updated its little smart speaker with an official second-generation model. Powered by the Apple Watch’s S10 SoC, Apple says the new device has improved audio, thanks to advanced computer algorithms, as well as new Siri AI features. Most importantly, though, the device is designed to work with the company’s new HomeView hub, Apple TV 4K, and Home Collection accessories.

Still, all is not gold with the HomePod mini 2. The company raised the price of its original model a few months ago, citing higher component costs due to the AI ​​data center boom. This new speaker is even more expensive, at $149. HomePod mini 2 is available in new colors: pink, green, blue, white and midnight, with matching cables.

Perhaps the most interesting detail of the HomePod mini 2 is that it doesn’t have more capable hardware capable of running the new Siri AI on its own. Instead, Apple says the new Siri AI capabilities are available whenever a compatible Apple Intelligence device is present, like an iPhone 15 Pro or newer.

Despite this, the company calls the HomePod mini 2 the company’s “most immersive home theater setup,” as users can pair up to four speakers for surround sound when connected to the new Apple TV 4K. The product is already available for pre-order and delivery begins on Friday October 30. Here are the new features that might make the new HomePod mini 2 worth it for you.

With an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad, HomePod mini 2 can take advantage of two of the most important features introduced with the revamped Siri: what Apple calls “personal context” and “world awareness.” In other words, the HomePod mini can pull up a song that a friend mentioned in a text conversation, play a podcast that was sent to you last night, or even load that playlist that your friend created for you last year but that you never added to your Apple Music account. With the knowledge of the world, you can ask the HomePod mini 2 anything on a topic that interests you, and it will use the iPhone, in addition to Apple’s Private Cloud Compute, to provide the right answer.

HomePod mini 2 is also designed to be placed in a central location in the home and used by multiple people. It can recognize up to six people in a household by their voice, meaning that every time you tell the smart speaker to play your favorite songs, it will offer different suggestions if it was your partner asking for their favorite songs.

The company even claims that once Siri AI is enabled on the HomePod mini 2, even if a family member has an iPhone or iPad without Apple Intelligence, they can still benefit from Siri’s insight into the world with “rich, natural conversations” that can enhance music discovery.

In addition to being smart, the HomePod mini 2 must also be a good speaker. When the first generation was released, it received praise from critics thanks to its powerful sound, even in such a small form factor. Still, the unit lacked proper bass and a single unit made the sound less punchy than with a stereo pair. Apple says it has improved the audio quality of HomePod mini 2 with the S10 chip and advanced computational audio by analyzing music in real time and optimizing dynamic range, volume and acoustic performance.

Apple also allows HomePod mini 2 to pair with up to four speakers to create a surround sound experience with the new Apple TV 4K. Users can choose between four HomePod mini 2s, or two HomePod mini 2s and two HomePod 2s, as the set-top box can recognize the position of each speaker to calibrate timing and audio levels based on the space. Notably, Apple claims that the new HomePod mini 2 will not be paired with the old HomePod or original HomePod mini.

Apple also says a pair of HomePod mini 2 speakers can work with its other devices, such as the iMac, which currently has the M4 processor. While the iMac comes in seven different colors and the HomePod mini 2 in five, the company says the accessory can create a “beautifully unified desktop setup with Mac.” HomePod mini 2 can be used to improve movie sound, gaming experience, and even for FaceTime calls. Interestingly, the company hasn’t said how the HomePod mini 2 will interact with its $1,599 pro-level Studio Display, which has its own built-in six-speaker array for spatial audio.

Another feature Apple introduced with the HomePod mini 2 is called Sound Glow, which turns the speaker’s top panel into a “visual canvas that glows and vibrates in sync with the music, reacting in real time to bass and treble.” While this feature doesn’t necessarily change the audio waves coming out of the speaker, it does create new ways for the device to integrate into a listening experience. For example, if you walk past HomePod mini 2 while a song is playing, the device will generate a color-matched light experience based on the album art from Apple Music’s Now Playing feature.

The company also claims that users can take advantage of the soundscape to trigger animations that create a “calming atmosphere.” Apple also indicates that this feature will be available on the second generation of HomePod via a software update. This isn’t the first time Apple has expanded a product’s capabilities after launch. In 2023, the company sent out a software update to its original HomePod minis that activated secret temperature and humidity sensors that had been dormant for years.

The original HomePod mini was already a basic smart home hub, capable of controlling devices, playing music, and interacting with basic Siri functions. However, Apple is now making everything much smoother by adding a higher-performance chip and more accessories that it can connect to. With new Apple Home Collection devices, HomePod mini can more easily lock a front door, lower the blinds, adjust the thermostat, and even turn off the lights at bedtime. It can also know if someone is at your door, like a delivery person, friend or relative, and give you information about other smart home accessories collected.

On iPhone, users can also create automations like the HomePod mini 2 and its new Siri AI. The new feature will also be accessible in natural language and using the Shortcuts app.

Apple is also improving another feature called Sound Recognition, which sends a notification to a user’s devices if the HomePod mini 2 hears a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm. As in the past, customers can also take advantage of the Home app and an included intercom feature to listen and talk to someone through the HomePod or multiple HomePod speakers throughout the home.