According to Bloomberg reporter Marc Garman, Apple isn’t currently working on a new version of the HomePod Mini. latest installment of his Power On newsletter.
“At the moment, I don’t think Apple is actively working on such a product. The latest HomePod doesn’t include any major new features that the $99 mini doesn’t have yet, so they updated the model.” Sure, getting more colors, cheaper prices, better sound and mics would be nice, but the real improvements probably need to be made in the backend – Siri and app integration.
As Gurman mentioned, Apple 2nd generation version Most experts on the full-sized HomePod last week agreed that the HomePod mini was a more successful product than its larger sibling, which was discontinued in 2021 due to poor sales. If Apple is ready to roll the dice with his one successor, it’s strange that he doesn’t do the same with one successor anymore. The HomePod mini isn’t new either. Launched in November 2020, he’s already been there for over two years.
The return of the full-sized HomePod is understood to be part of a new strategy by Apple, contrary to obvious commercial logic. Prioritize smart home, reports that multiple smart displays and an updated Apple TV are coming soon. In that sense, it’s even more bizarre that the company chose to ignore mini smart speakers that are perfect for multi-room setups.
However, unlike many of Gurman’s predictions, this particular statement appears to be based on his own speculation rather than an inside source. Gurman believes the relative lack of feature upgrades on his HomePod in the second generation means there’s no reason to update the smaller model. Even additional features such as Thread support and Ultra Wideband chips were already included in the mini. is not clear.)
It’s also true that the updated Mini could be better than the new full-size model because it costs much less and is more portable. It makes sense that Apple would be on fire for a few months to give the HomePod 2 a proper chance to transition some units, and from AirPods, even Apple’s highly favored audio offerings would outperform the iPhone. I can see that you are happy to let it remain unupdated for a long time. Macs and iPads.
But beyond the new HomePod’s honeymoon period, Apple could certainly be thinking of a second attempt at a mini. We may have to wait until 2024, but I’d be very surprised if we don’t see a second-generation Mini at some point.