HomePod Mini Is Now 2,000 Days Old

[Calle68]

They can't innovate anymore (cit.).

 

[shakopeemn]

It ain't the wifi. I know how to make small networks work very well, the HPM is the only device that consistently has issues.

Yes, ain't it funny how that recommendation comes back to WI-FI. I had a great ASUS router. However, it had issues with my Echo dot devices dropping off WI-FI regularly. Invested in decent router and it resolved the issue. BTW, Homepods work well too.

It's easy to dismiss the WI-FI when all of the WI-FI clients are not impacted.

 

[jbachandouris]

Had my HP2 unplugged for days. Installed beta 26.5. Hours later it started playing random at full volume. Ridiculous. Anyone want to buy it from me?

My HomePod mini not having any issues.

 

[Doomtomb]

It's a smart speaker... bluetooth and WiFi... enough processing onboard what more do you need?

 

[eifelbube]

I've had issues with mine in the past and people said the same things to me they're saying to you, blaming the wifi.

It ain't the wifi. I know how to make small networks work very well, the HPM is the only device that consistently has issues.

That one sounds worse than most. Might want to try resetting it. And make sure it's on the latest release. The only difference I've noticed between releases is that finally on later builds of 26 it is a bit more reliable.

I am so glad I resisted the temptation to get 2 more HPMs when I upgraded the sound system for my AppleTV. With the help of a splitter, the HDMI audio goes to a receiver. I picked analog speakers for a wired surround sound setup after testing them. Still happy with the speakers, especially
not ever having to unplug, update, or reset them. No connection drops 😊.

 

[koil]

My girlfriend has one and it's "the worst product Apple has ever made" (her words). It never stays connected, cuts out randomly, or randomly starts playing music. She absolutely hates it and I'm surprised it's not in a wall somewhere.

Two of mine (I have 3) recently stared doing this too, tried rebooting, tried resetting to factory, USB-C firmware restore, even tried disabling Siri and in particular touches, put a 4 second delayed reaction to touches…

Apparently according to the internet its a busted touch panel, and the only solve is to disassemble it and literally disconnect the touch panel!

On two out of 3!

 

[allseeingi’s]

Purchased 2 for our garden room getting on for 3 years , thought 1 sounded decent given its size then decided to purchase another which improved the soundstage .

Siri - there have been times when it’s not performed as expected , we mainly use it for lights on/ off and humidity/ temp info and music Don’t think they’ll be replaced unless they cease working . Alexa can also be temperamental ……

 

[Johnny907]

And it seems like only yesterday it was launched with that god awful tiny rapper ad.

 

[Lioness~]

My girlfriend has one and it's "the worst product Apple has ever made" (her words). It never stays connected, cuts out randomly, or randomly starts playing music. She absolutely hates it and I'm surprised it's not in a wall somewhere.

I'm with your girlfriend. I traded my Homepods and minis in, and bought 4 BlueTooth Pioneer speakers, 1000% better sound, and as a bonus, no Siri that start to rant about crap with the strangest occassions.

Same here. Truly a massive piece of junk.

Agree fully.

I don't have any Home devices that I need Siri to control either.
I don't usie Siri to anything either.
But I do use Gemini and ChatGPT when I need it.

 

[boswald]

I'm with your girlfriend. I traded my Homepods and minis in, and bought 4 BlueTooth Pioneer speakers, 1000% better sound, and as a bonus, no Siri that start to rant about crap with the strangest occassions.


Agree fully.

I don't have any Home devices that I need Siri to control either.
I don't usie Siri to anything either.
But I do use Gemini and ChatGPT when I need it.

It's really depressing because I bought it for her as an anniversary gift. Now I'm going to be forever associated with "Here's what I found on the web for how to tell you're boyfriend he's dumped."

 

[darbus69]

Apple's HomePod mini today reached a notable milestone, marking 2,000 days since its introduction in October 2020, an unusually long lifespan for an Apple hardware product that has yet to receive a second-generation refresh.

Apple unveiled the HomePod mini at its iPhone 12 event on October 13, 2020, positioning it as a smaller and more affordable alternative to the original HomePod. The device launched at just $99, with pre-orders beginning November 6 and availability following on November 16.

Unlike the original HomePod, which emphasized premium audio at a higher price point, the HomePod mini was designed as a mass-market smart speaker that could be deployed throughout the home at comparatively low cost. Apple described it as delivering "amazing sound" alongside Siri functionality and smart home control, with a compact spherical design that enabled 360-degree audio.

The HomePod mini is powered by the Apple S5 chip, the same processor used in the Apple Watch Series 5, and features a single full-range driver, dual passive radiators, and a four-microphone array. It supports 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, Ultra Wideband for proximity-based features, and Thread networking, allowing it to function as a smart home hub.

Apple expanded the available colors in 2021, adding blue, yellow, and orange options to the original white and space gray finishes, and later replaced space gray with a similar "midnight" variant. Beyond these cosmetic updates, the underlying hardware has remained unchanged, making the HomePod mini one of the longest-running Apple devices without a specification revision.

Apple is widely expected to release a second-generation HomePod mini sometime soon, and the most consistent expectation is a move to a newer chip in place of the current S5, which should improve responsiveness, computational audio performance, and headroom for future Siri features. A second-generation Ultra Wideband chip and Apple's N1 Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip are also possibilities.

The new HomePod mini was reportedly "ready" to launch since late last year. Now, the device is said to be "on hold" until Apple releases its more personalized version of Siri later this year. The revamped assistant is expected to debut in iOS 27, which will be available in beta starting in June and should be released to all users with a compatible iPhone in September.

Article Link: HomePod Mini Is Now 2,000 Days Old

Yes they can be a pain in the ass, especially if you run beta software. But when they work they are a great audio system for the price. When I travel to my daughters and listen to their generic sound bars and woofer setup I wonder why anyone would want that kind of sound, all inexpensive sound systems have their problems. But Apple is all about the overworked phrase #EcoSystem but in this case I will take eco system over perfection (and its huge price)...