The $99 HomePod mini is now over 2,000 days old, which means it has been five and a half years since it received a meaningful update. Apple is working on a new model, but launch rumors have come and gone due to Siri issues.
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Apple introduced the ?HomePod mini? in October 2020, and refreshed the color options in 2021, but it is way overdue for a more substantial refresh. Here’s what we know about what’s coming.
Design
It doesn’t sound like Apple is going to update the ?HomePod mini?’s design. There are no rumors of a revamped look or changes to the shape, so the ?HomePod mini? 2 will look a lot like the original model.
We are expecting new color options for the ?HomePod mini?, and Apple has tested a red color, so that could be one of the shades we get.
Chip Update
The current ?HomePod mini? uses the S5 Apple Watch chip, which is old at this point. The next model is going to use the S9 chip or later, so it will have more power for computational audio and other audio features that require a processor.
The S9, S10, and S11 are all basically identical, so performance will be about the same regardless of which one Apple chooses. Apple Watch chips are much lower power than iPhone, iPad, and Mac chips, but the S5 to S9 or later is still a huge jump.
New Features
Apple hasn’t released the new ?HomePod mini? because it’s supposedly waiting on the new version of ?Siri?. ?Siri? was supposed to get an Apple Intelligence update this spring, but it now looks like we’ll be waiting until the September iOS 27 launch.
The ?HomePod mini? will run the updated version of ?Siri?, so it should be a much more capable device than the current model for doing everything from suggesting music to controlling smart home products.
N1
The ?HomePod mini? 2 could get Apple’s N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, but Apple hasn’t included it in some lower-cost products, so it’s not entirely clear if it will be included. Either way, the ?HomePod mini? should get at least Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
The N1 has Thread support too, but the ?HomePod mini? already includes Thread.
UWB 2
A newer Ultra Wideband chip could be included, improving UWB features like Handoff for transferring music from an iPhone to a HomePod and vice versa.
Big HomePod
Apple could also be planning an update to the full-sized HomePod, which would presumably get the same feature set as the ?HomePod mini?. The ?HomePod? was last updated in January 2023, which is when Apple reintroduced the larger-size option.
Launch Date
We may not see a new ?HomePod mini? until September 2027 when the updated version of ?Siri? debuts in ?iOS 27?. The ?Apple Intelligence? version of ?Siri? is the backbone for several new home-focused Apple devices like a smart home hub and a new Apple TV that’s in the works.Related Roundup: HomePod miniTag: HomePod Mini 2Buyer’s Guide: HomePod Mini (Don’t Buy)Related Forum: HomePod, HomeKit, CarPlay, Home & Auto TechnologyThis article, “What’s Happening With the HomePod Mini 2? All the Current Rumors” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
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Author: Juli Clover