Apple has opened preorders for the HomePod mini 2, a $149 update to its compact smart speaker that reaches stores October 30. It comes in pink, green, blue, white, and midnight. Although Apple is promoting support for Siri AI, the assistant upgrade will arrive through a future software update rather than ship with the speaker.
New audio hardware and Sound Glow
The HomePod mini 2 announcement centers on an S10 chip and computational audio that Apple says analyzes music in real time to adjust dynamic range, volume, and acoustic performance. The speaker keeps its compact, 360-degree design and can work alone, as a stereo pair, or in a multiroom setup.
Sound Glow turns the top surface into a music-synchronized light display. It reacts to bass and treble and uses colors from the album artwork shown in Now Playing. Voice control for the feature requires an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone running current software.
More ways to connect at home
HomePod mini 2 can join three other compatible HomePods for four-speaker surround sound when paired with the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K. Apple says the setup automatically calibrates timing and volume to each speaker’s position. The feature requires matching front and rear pairs of HomePod mini 2 or second-generation HomePod speakers.
