HomePod Will HomePod Mini work with very old hardware?

[MalagLagoon]

It just so happens that I have a few Kasa Smart Plugs connected to the application called Home on my iPhone (and macBook). Recently I began searching for bluetooth speakers. I need very loud speakers because I do not hear very well (moderate-severe hearing loss requiring good hearing aids). Then I realized I might be able to use an Apple HomePod Mini as my bluetooth speaker with the added benefit of connecting to my HomeKit. The price of the HomePod Mini is about the same, or less, than some bluetooth speakers I've looked at thus far.

My question is this: Will the HomePod Mini work with my 2015 MacBook Pro and/or iPhone 7 Plus?

My 2015 MacBook Pro runs macOS Monterey and my 2017 iPhone 7 Plus uses iOS 15.8.5.

I'm fine if the HomePod Mini only functions as a bluetooth speaker for now (with other features disabled due to incompatibility with old hardware/software). Eventually, I'll upgrade both my iPhone and MacBook.

Anyway, thanks for reading.

 

[MBAir2010]

my HomePod mini works with iTunes-macbokk air 2010-mojave. bedroom speaker
as well as the MacBook Air M1-foobar-Monterey. livingroom dual speakers.
both with airplay, and sound-top task bar.

I use my Klipsch speakers most of the time for better sound quality and better connectivity tho.

 

[MalagLagoon]

Could anyone measure the sound pressure level of the HomePod Mini? I really need an SPL level of 90dB or higher to hear well. The HomePod Mini seems small (may not be loud enough). I use a couple of apps on my iPhone to measure SPL; they are, SPLnFF and NIOSH SLM. A good distance to measure from would be 1 meter from the HomePod Mini.

 

[MalagLagoon]

Looks like the HomePod Mini might be a tad too quiet for my deaf ears:

 

[BigBlur]

Then I realized I might be able to use an Apple HomePod Mini as my bluetooth speaker

You can't use the HomePod as a bluetooth speaker; you can only AirPlay to it or control it remotely. So if the source of the audio or the device doesn't support AirPlay, you're out of luck.

 

[MalagLagoon]

You can't use the HomePod as a bluetooth speaker; you can only AirPlay to it or control it remotely. So if the source of the audio or the device doesn't support AirPlay, you're out of luck.

That's extremely lame. I have no idea what "AirPlay" is - but I don't think I'll be interested. Bluetooth works fine for my needs.

 

[erihp]

That's extremely lame. I have no idea what "AirPlay" is - but I don't think I'll be interested. Bluetooth works fine for my needs.

It's an audio and video streaming protocol designed by Apple that requires WiFi/IP networking to function. Has its advantages over bluetooth, but does not have the interoperability that Bluetooth does.