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Will a HomePod Mini 2 Launch This Year?

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Apple released the HomePod mini nearly four years ago, so you may be wondering when the speaker will receive hardware upgrades.

homepod-mini-thumb-feature.jpg

Below, we recap rumors about a next-generation HomePod mini.

The firmest rumor came from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who in February 2023 said mass shipments of a second-generation HomePod mini would begin in the second half of 2024. However, it is unclear if that info is still accurate, as there have not been any recent HomePod mini rumors from credible sources.

Kuo did not reveal any new features planned for the next HomePod mini, but plausible upgrades could include a newer S-series chip for more advanced computational audio, a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip for a lower-latency Handoff experience, and new color options. The current HomePod mini is equipped with an S5 chip and a U1 chip.

Apple has already refreshed the color options for the HomePod mini a few times. The speaker was released in Blue, Orange, and Yellow in November 2021, and Space Gray was replaced with a virtually-identical Midnight finish in July.

Due to the lack of recent rumors, the likelihood of a new HomePod mini being imminent seems low. However, a new HomePod mini could end up being a surprise announcement at Apple's rumored October event, or it could be introduced in a press release on the Apple Newsroom website at any point over the coming months.

Read our HomePod mini roundup for more details about the speaker.

Article Link: Will a HomePod Mini 2 Launch This Year?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/10/09/homepod-mini-2-rumors/
highly doubt it since apple intelligence they have to back track on releasing a new mini even a lot of devices
 
They didn’t update the S series chip this year - it’s the same base die as last year in a new package. While it does have a neural network it certainly doesn’t have enough oomph to really drive Apple Intelligence. My guess would be that they will update to an N3E S series chip next year and substantially bulk out the neural engine so that they can bring more of on-device Apple Intelligence to the Watch. That’s when we’ll see new HomePods and HomePods mini.
 
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Jamie0003 said:
Already has Bluetooth. Has since the original HomePod
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Bluetooth Audio, so it could beuseful to non-iphone people - e.g. if you have guests with android devices, a.k.a. the majority of the world.

And, for the love of God, please make the cable interchangeable. They don't repair broken cables anymore - and never did here in central Europe. So you have to buy a new one if the cable breaks. That's just such a collosal waste and really everything but environmentally conscious.(I did repair one of mine, though - but it was not easy, nor pretty)
 
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I think they mean for audio so you can use it without wifi.

Aside from that tho I’d love to see a three part lineup (excluding the rumored screen one). I want to be able to listen to my HomePods in my apartment but the mini is too hollow sounding and the original (and I suppose the revived which I don’t have) is too bass-y I love the sound on my originals but I’ve gotten screamed at by a neighbor every time I use them. So like mini, base, pro and more bass control options. Reduce loud sounds and reduce bass don’t do enough. Gimme a slider like Sonos!

I need two more minis but I want better audio before I get more. The mini is on par with my Bose sound link mini 1. Apples gotta do better. Plus I don’t even like my Bose!
 
Love our HomePods but I just wish that we could have homepods for front speakers and minis for rears. Sometimes Spatial Audio amazes me with movies but other times I wish there was some more immersive audio from them
 
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swester said:
The Gen 1 Minis are great - it's the Siri integration that's abysmal. I sure hope that Apple Intelligence will remedy some of that.
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See that’s a contradiction to me. To me, it’s been probably the Apple product that has caused the most frustration of all that I have owned. There is and has ever only been one person in my Home and yet regularly the HPM asks, “Whose speaking?” and then tells me I have to authenticate on my phone. This “smart” speaker scores very low on its main feature.
 
veeco3110 said:
Love our HomePods but I just wish that we could have homepods for front speakers and minis for rears. Sometimes Spatial Audio amazes me with movies but other times I wish there was some more immersive audio from them
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Yes please

Apple could sell a ton of minis - you could not just use them as rears but also 2 on the side and 4 on the ceiling - talk about zero config surround system
 
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Unami said:
Bluetooth Audio, so it could beuseful to non-iphone people - e.g. if you have guests with android devices, a.k.a. the majority of the world.

And, for the love of God, please make the cable interchangeable. They don't repair broken cables anymore - and never did here in central Europe. So you have to buy a new one if the cable breaks. That's just such a collosal waste and really everything but environmentally conscious.(I did repair one of mine, though - but it was not easy, nor pretty)
Click to expand...
Not disagreeing with you but just curious what do you do with yours that you even need to replace the cord? I’ve had mine since they came out, and I’ve only unplugged it/moved it maybe five times.
 
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Just got my first HomePod mini so I’d imagine they will release a new one soon lol.

I will say the google nest mini works a lot better in terms of compatibility with my work pc and sound quality. It is more a just a hub for apple home now I think.
 
I can see the headline now: New HomePod Mini's released! The best ones we've ever made. With Apple Intelligence coming partly probably sometime in the future!
 
vertsix said:
It is very odd that Apple Intelligence is coming to nearly every Apple device EXCEPT HomePods, where it could actually be truly beneficial.
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This was my first thought. A new HomePod of any sort is a waste of time without FAR, FAR better Siri.

I turned Siri off on mine and just use them as a stereo pair where they are mostly ok, but there can be a lot of trouble with audio syncing in some apps on Apple TV, most notably Amazon Prime Video.

Siri as it stands is worse than useless on them. They would give me so much trouble, tell me my lights aren't responding. Meanwhile as it's sitting there spinning trying to work, I pull out my phone and tell Siri on that to turn on the lights and boom instantly they come on.

Unless they can get the basics right and show that they care about the product at all, just let them die.
 
Nozgog said:
Yes please

Apple could sell a ton of minis - you could not just use them as rears but also 2 on the side and 4 on the ceiling - talk about zero config surround system
Click to expand...
Zero config… except for needing to run power outlets all over the place (ok, just the ceiling, but still that’s a bit excessive). It’s an interesting prospect, but I’d just recommend a surround bar if simplicity is the ask here. With the subtle height channels that fire up from the bar and the surrounds. Most rears on those are wireless to a powered sub and fed from there too.
 
I bought a Mini one, loved the sound and the colors, but I immediately returned it.
Had no idea it was cable powered only (never saw such images), and you can't even replace it since they worked one end into the actual device...

Will only consider them again if they fix that and make all major functions accessible to all major non Apple platforms (Windows, Linux, Android), as well as make them swarm compatible if grouped together for an easy to set up simple surround system.

Lots of potential for a version 2. We'll see.
 
Improved sound via hardware, further improved via S9 or 10 software/computational-wise, and better handoff with U2, and S9 or 10 would also have better WiFi, thats more than enough to justify upgrade
 
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