So, no HomePod nor Apple TV 4K. My conspiracy theory is that the devices are ready to be sold, but Apple is waiting for the new Siri to be finished 👁️👄👁️.
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New HomePod Mini Coming Soon With These Features
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you'd also need it to support becoming and ad-hoc AP, or need a network it and your phone can both join, or bluetooth.
i think you should probably just buy a portable speaker.
by the way, there actually are addon products that exists to do exactly what youre talking about, but... yah.. not the beat experience unless you have a specific need to move it around your house.
i think youre probably right but its taken so long it will likely be a 'day 2' update and by day i mean more like year
I really hope they release them in red. I would buy one for each room!
I wonder what the word "soon" means on MR. Five years or less?
I have my Apple Card ready to buy. Soon. Where are these mysterious HomePods?
I have my Apple Card ready to buy. Soon. Where are these mysterious HomePods?
No they like to chat with the 'highly intelligent Siri', obviously - bless their souls.
As far as I understand some use it as a controller for stuff in their home.
I use remote controllers myself.
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That'd would be a complete "WOW! Now that's real" update... enough for me to replace my 8 minis around the house (well at least the ones with the big HomePods for 5.1... but I never expect to get anything wow from Apple these days... when triangulating rumors I take what of what we here would be the weakest, most boring, minimal, mid update and assume that's what's coming out... and yup that take is the most accurate.
I think it's just the leak/rumour people and sites throwing everything at the wall and hoping something will stick. Not like they care about people calling them out when they're wrong. How many times in the past six months has this site said that a new Homepod Mini or Apple TV will be out soon?
More sites are showing EOL/Out of Stock now. Apple won't go into the holiday season without stock at the retail level.
www.scan.co.uk
Apple HomePod Mini Wireless Smart Speaker - White
Buy from Scan - Apple HomePod Mini, White, 360° Audio, 4-Mic Array, Siri, Full-Range Driver, Stereo Pairable, Touch, WiFi/Bluetooth
I mean sure they're not great quality, but having the option would be cool. Better than having no surrounds at all.
Welp, looks like no one is getting a HomePod mini or Apple TV for Christmas. Other than AirPods, these are the most giftable devices they produce. Another miss by Apple. Sure seem to be adding up.
I absolutely agree with this. There needs to be additional ways to connect OTHER than just Bluetooth or W Chip
I don’t even say “on tunein ”. I just say: “play RFM radio” and it starts playing it after announcing that it’s via TuneIn.
Imminent like what, 2026?
Apple is expected to announce a new HomePod mini imminently, headlining with new chips. Here are all of the new features we're expecting.
The second-generation HomePod mini is highly likely to contain a more up-to-date chip for more advanced computational audio and improved responsiveness. The current HomePod mini is equipped with the Apple Watch Series 5's S5 chip from 2019. Apple is likely to opt for the S9 chip, which was a considerable leap forward in terms of performance, or one of its derivatives such as the S10, which is a more compact iteration of the S9.
The S5 chip in the HomePod mini is derived from Apple's A12 Bionic architecture but runs at lower clock speeds and is tuned for always-on, low-power operation, making it well-suited for tasks like Siri processing and real-time audio tuning. In contrast, the S9 and S10 chips are based on the A13 chip, offering higher CPU and GPU performance, a more advanced Neural Engine, and greater efficiency per watt.
The new HomePod mini will be equipped with the N1 Apple-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The chip supports Wi-Fi 6E, which is much faster and has lower latency compared to the current HomePod mini's Wi-Fi 4 connectivity. Wi-Fi 6E extends the capabilities of Wi-Fi 6 to the 6 GHz band, enabling faster wireless speeds and reduced signal interference with a compatible router.
Apple could also bring its second-generation Ultra Wideband chip to the HomePod mini for a more reliable and lower-latency Handoff experience. The chip debuted in 2023's iPhone 15 lineup. If present, the chip should allow far more precise spatial awareness than the current model, allowing it to detect the exact position and orientation of nearby devices within a few centimeters.
New color options are also highly likely, but specific finishes are not yet known other than red, which was reportedly in testing. The current HomePod mini comes in Blue, Yellow, Midnight, Orange, and White.
Gurman says that, just like the next-generation Apple TV, the new HomePod mini "will be built with Apple's new smart home ecosystem in mind." It is unclear if the next HomePod mini will have Siri improvements. Unlike Apple's long-rumored smart home hub product, the new HomePod mini is not expected to get Apple Intelligence support.
Recently, Apple retailer B&H started listing all HomePod mini models as discontinued. Some other retailers are also listing the HomePod mini as out of stock or on backorder, which suggests that a refresh is set to take place soon. Gurman believes that a new HomePod mini "shouldn't be far off" amid tightening inventory and planned Apple Store refreshes.
Article Link: New HomePod Mini Coming Soon With These Features
