HomePod mini 2 costs $149, runs the S10 chip, and is the first product from Apple’s autumn lineup to reach buyers. It went on sale on October 30, ahead of every Mac and iPad announced around it.
Five colours, a top surface that lights up with the music, and a role in the new Apple TV surround system are the changes worth knowing.
S10, Sound Glow and Four-Speaker Surround
The S10 chip drives computational audio that reads the music in real time and adjusts dynamic range, loudness and acoustic performance as it plays. Apple claims 360-degree sound from the same compact body.
Sound Glow is the visible change. The top surface lights up and pulses with bass and treble, and it can take its colour from the album artwork. Voice control of that feature needs an iPhone with Apple Intelligence.
As a smart speaker it now does more than play music. Two HomePod mini 2 units can act as the rear pair in a four-speaker Apple TV 4K setup, and the system works out each speaker’s position and calibrates timing and levels itself.
- Chip: Apple S10
- Sound Glow: top lights up, can match album artwork
- Mac audio: can be the default speaker for a Mac on Wi-Fi 6E or later
- Listens for: smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
HomePod mini 2 Specs and Audio Changes
| Specification | HomePod mini 2 |
|---|---|
| Chip | Apple S10 |
| Audio | 360-degree, computational processing |
| Sound Glow | Top lights up with bass and treble |
| Stereo | Pairs with a second unit |
| Surround | Rear pair for Apple TV 4K four-speaker |
| Mac | Default speaker on Wi-Fi 6E or later |
| Siri AI | Not at launch, arriving in a later update |
| Voices | Recognises up to six |
| Sound Recognition | Smoke and CO alarms |
| Home hub | Yes, for remote Home app control |
| Colours | Pink, green, blue, white, midnight |
| Software | HomePod 27.2 |
HomePod mini 2 Price and On-Sale Date
$149, which is the cheapest thing Apple launched this autumn. Pre-orders opened on October 13 in the US and more than 23 other countries and regions.
It went on sale on Friday, October 30. The published HomePod mini tech specs list the full audio and connectivity detail.
- Price: $149
- Colours: pink, green, blue, white and midnight
- On sale: Friday, October 30
- Siri AI: promised in a later free update, not at launch
Should You Buy HomePod mini 2?
At $149 the speaker is the low-risk way into Apple’s home system, and it is the one purchase here that still makes sense if you buy nothing else. A stereo pair on a desk is the use most people will get the most from.
The caveat is Siri AI, which is not there at launch and has only a vague arrival date. If the assistant is the reason you are buying, wait for the update. Our guide to Hey Siri covers what the voice system can already do, and the Apple TV 4K is the box it pairs with for surround.
- Buy it if: you want cheap multiroom audio or desk speakers
- Buy two if: you want a stereo pair or rear channels for Apple TV 4K
- Wait if: Siri AI is the point, since it ships later
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is HomePod mini 2?
$149 in the US. It went on sale on October 30, making it the first of Apple’s autumn products to reach buyers.
Does HomePod mini 2 have Siri AI?
Not at launch. Apple says Siri AI arrives in a later software update, in English, across the US, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the UK.
What is Sound Glow on HomePod mini 2?
The top surface lights up and pulses in time with the bass and treble, and it can take its colour from the album artwork. Controlling it by voice needs an iPhone with Apple Intelligence.
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