HomePod Mini Supports Low-Power Thread Networking Technology

[Madonepro]

Just order the nuclear-powered option then 🤷‍♂️

Sorry if the aesthetics aren’t something you are bothered with. It appears Apple aren’t overly enamoured with it either, as there camera angles do everything to keep it hidden.
Probably as contentious as the iPhone ‘notch’.

 

[Madonepro]

Of course Apple can. They chose not to. Simple.

As an aside, that's not something I want.

Something like the base stand that Bose has for its revolve range

 

[kentsydney]

Just order the nuclear-powered option then 🤷‍♂️

Well I agree what I like about my BT speakers ( eg my Minirigs or Kef Muo) is that they are portable with a battery so you can take them in the garden or to a barbie - I suppose the google hone or Alexa aren’t portable but Apple missed a trick here

 

[kentsydney]

Your correct, why not a rechargeable battery? Zap it up once every 6 months like the cameras.

Umm maybe once every 8 hours if it’s being used continually

 

[longtom]

I'm very curious if anyone is going to use 2 of them for their AppleTV?

Yes, with iOS 14.2. But what about the Audia-Lag?

 

[ErikGrim]

Yes, with iOS 14.2. But what about the Audia-Lag?

HomePods already work with Apple TV. Like any wireless technology video start is delayed to compensate for lag. What isn't is game sounds and UI sounds. On HomePod the menu sounds are simply dropped.

 

[ErikGrim]

So does this mean I can make a wireless 5.1 setup?
Disappointed when not..

Not the way you think, but two regular homepods will use spatial audio to emulate surround, even ATMOS:

A new feature is coming for only for the HomePod that will add an immersive home theater experience when paired with an Apple TV 4K. To get the 5.1, 7.1 surround, and Dolby Atmos, you need to pair one or two HomePod speakers to the Apple TV. This feature requires the spatial sound support of HomePod, so it isn’t available for the HomePod mini.

You can’t have a HomePod and HomePod mini connected to Apple TV simultaneously, but you can have two HomePod minis connected to Apple TV to create stereo sound. That’s a great option if you’re not interested in the new home theater experience.

I just PRAY that this also means the HomePods will stay connected to the Apple TV even if I use them for other sound when not watching tv (i.e. Autoswitching).

 

[G4DPII]

Do you …not know how smart homes work?

You already have a watch, phone, iPad and HomePoop that could do this if they could be arsed to work on things propery. Instead the release yet another device, when it should't be needed.

A smart home should have things built in, not devices scattered everywhere.

 

[krfr]

Can’t make it cordless yet. Give it a year for Gen 2

I’m not interested in cordless. I had a couple cordless speakers (UE Booms) and you always have to turn them on before using, so no “Hey Siri” and the battery always dies at inconvenient times. I’d much rather have it powered.

 

[ErikGrim]

You already have a watch, phone, iPad and HomePoop that could do this if they could be arsed to work on things propery. Instead the release yet another device, when it should't be needed.

A smart home should have things built in, not devices scattered everywhere.

No, there are no other hubs (Apple TV, existing Home Pod) that supports Thread, which is the glue between HomeKit and non-HomeKit devices.

 

[Romeo_Nightfall]

I’ve been saying since Apple discontinued Airport that Apple was heading towards a future where a WiFi router based home network was irrelevant.

Today, Apple implemented two of those necessary pieces. Thread networks devices without the need for a central “home network” and 5G provides speed and bandwidth not only matching that of a WiFi network but exceeding it.

The future of home networks is no home networks. Every device just talks to each other directly and where feasible and necessary, devices connect to the internet via their own embedded 5G chip.

June 2019:

you Said something sometimes, now it’s even not reality and you think you are super clever, which you thought then though. Where’s the noteworthy news?

 

[kaz911]

I had hoped for an audio in jack so they could be used as "computer speakers" in Stereo with reliable connection (and auto-reconnect)

That is the only thing missing from original HomePod to make them "perfect"

And just noticed on spec sheet... EXTERNAL 20w power adaptor... 😡

 

[shevans]

And just noticed on spec sheet... EXTERNAL 20w power adaptor... 😡

This...

 

[Ortiz83]

If my dog ever saw that thing it would only be a matter of time before it became a $99 fetch toy...

Train your dog.

 

[ksec]

I’ve been saying since Apple discontinued Airport that Apple was heading towards a future where a WiFi router based home network was irrelevant.

Today, Apple implemented two of those necessary pieces. Thread networks devices without the need for a central “home network” and 5G provides speed and bandwidth not only matching that of a WiFi network but exceeding it.

The future of home networks is no home networks. Every device just talks to each other directly and where feasible and necessary, devices connect to the internet via their own embedded 5G chip.

June 2019:

That is too idealistic, unless Carriers allows unlimited 5G Data ( with decent 5G speed ) usage within reasonable price, that wont be happening anytime soon. Not in the next 5 years.

The only place where 4G ( and 5G ) rivals broadband in both price and speed is Finland. [1] But their average Data usage is still 10-20x below the average of broadband.

Not to mention the cost of putting 5G in everyone of those devices is expensive. It makes more sense if there was a 5G WiFi Router.


[1]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1315178802356649986

 

[hortod1]

Train your dog.

chill out.

it was a joke.

 

[Ortiz83]

chill out.

it was a joke.

Chill out.

It was also a joke.

 

[gk4]

You already have a watch, phone, iPad and HomePoop that could do this if they could be arsed to work on things propery. Instead the release yet another device, when it should't be needed.

A smart home should have things built in, not devices scattered everywhere.

That's the whole point, building things in. They are building thread into their devices so that you wont need to purchase a seperate hub to bridge the gap between your home network and thread.

I used the zigbee example elsewhere in this thread. Right now, if you buy devices based on the zigbee protocol (like any Hue lights, or Ikea tradfri, or Aqara, etc.) you need to by a hub as well. This is because your existing router can't talk directly to zigbee, so you need a device sitting between your router and the zigbee light bulbs to communicate with them. Amazon recently started bundling zigbee into some echo devices. So if you were to buy one of these echo devices - then you can buy Ikea lights and don't need to purchase the ikea hub.

 

[jaknudsen]

And just noticed on spec sheet... EXTERNAL 20w power adaptor... 😡

I hope this is the same USB-C power adapter as they sell for the iPhones!

 

[matrix07]

Should have been waterproof and wireless.

This is not mobile speakers.

 

[vipergts2207]

This is not mobile speakers.

They could've been though.

 

[matrix07]

They could've been though.

Yeah if they don’t use power much I could see it. My Bose can last a few days (with my listening habit) from a single charge and I think that’s great. If I have to charge speakers daily I won’t bother.

 

[liberte1776]

No, there are no other hubs (Apple TV, existing Home Pod) that supports Thread, which is the glue between HomeKit and non-HomeKit devices.

It’s probably just a software and firmware update to add support?

 

[Alan Wynn]

The fact that they used low-power network technology makes me think they might have planned to make it battery powered at one point. I'm disappointed they didn't.

They added support for 802.15.4 so that they can bridge Thread-based HomeKit devices to WiFi, not for any other purpose. Its maximum bandwidth is 250Kbps. Barely enough bandwidth at maximum to handle a single stream of mono-audio.

Apple had a great chance to enter the portable speaker market here and they didn't take it. I'm kind of surprised.

Speakers in the Bluetooth portable market start at around $10. Do you think that $99 is too low a price, that it would make sense to make it more expensive so that they could add a battery powered option?

 

[gk4]

It’s probably just a software and firmware update to add support?

It's not unless they silently included the radio in the device. And I don't think that would be possible to hide as I think they need to get FCC approval even for radios that are not active at the time but could be made active at some point in the future.

Eero, for example, has included zigbee for a while but they make no use of it (yet). Regardless, we all know it's in there because they had to list in in FCC filings despite it being completely dormant.