Apple’s $149 HomePod mini 2 Adds Siri AI Support, New Apple TV and Mac Integrations

Apple revealed the HomePod mini 2 today alongside its new HomeView smart display and 4th-gen Apple TV 4K. The new smart speaker keeps the same design, but the new Sound Glow feature will make the top of the device glow and pulse in sync with music. The HomePod mini 2 will also introduce new synergies with Macs and the 4th gen Apple TV 4K, and it will add Siri AI support via a post-launch update.

Let’s first get the bad news out of the way: The HomePod mini 2 is priced at $149, which is $20 more expensive than its predecessor after the June price increases (the previous price was $99). This makes it more expensive than both Amazon’s $120 Echo Dot Max and Google’s $100 Home Speaker, but Apple does promise a more immersive audio experience with the ability to create a four-speaker surround sound system with the latest Apple TV 4K.

“Together, the four speakers and the new Apple TV 4K intelligently recognize each speaker’s position in the room, so audio timing and levels are automatically calibrated to the space,” Apple explained today. While it was already possible to use two HomePod minis as a stereo pair on the Apple TV, Mac users will be able to use the HomePod mini 2 as their default speaker. Apple’s new S10 chip can also help to improve acoustic performance by leveraging advanced computational audio.

A post-launch update will enable Siri AI on the HomePod mini 2 in the US, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, and the UK. However, the new assistant will be initially restricted to English, just like on the new HomeView and Apple TV 4K models that support Siri AI.

Just like on Apple’s new HomeView smart display, Siri AI on the HomePod mini 2 can recognize up to six iPhone and iPad users in a household by their voice. On devices that support Apple Intelligence, Siri AI can be more useful by understanding users’ personal context.

“Once Siri AI is enabled on a supported HomePod mini speaker, even users without an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad will benefit from Siri AI’s broad world knowledge; its ability to have rich, natural conversations; and its improved music discovery,” Apple explained today.

The HomePod mini 2 is available to pre-order today in pink, green, blue, white, and midnight colors. It will start shipping in the US and 23 other markets on October 30.