HomePod Mini 2 feels faster, but advanced Siri features remain absent
Apple’s HomePod Mini 2 feels more worthwhile after hands-on use than its modest specification changes initially suggested. The reviewer found it much quicker at playing music and carrying out smart home commands, though Apple’s promised Siri AI features are not yet available.
The speaker costs $149, up from $99 for the first-generation model, and upgrades its processor from the S5 to the S10 and Wi-Fi from version 4 to 6E. The reviewer praises the deep green finish and says the sound remains good despite no speaker hardware upgrade; the main disappointment is that more advanced Siri requests still defer to web results on an iPhone.
In short
- Siri and smart home commands respond much faster.
- Siri AI is still due in a later update.
- The $149 speaker keeps the old sound hardware.
Explained simply
HomePod Mini is Apple’s small smart speaker, designed to play music, answer questions and control compatible lights and other home devices. It works with Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, and is part of Apple’s wider range of phones, computers and connected-home products.
The first HomePod Mini was released in 2020. Its successor keeps the same basic speaker design, while newer internal components may affect how quickly it responds; the original model cost $99, compared with $149 for the new one.
Apple has also said it plans to add more capable AI features to Siri, which could help the assistant handle more complex requests. Their availability matters to buyers weighing the speaker’s price and usefulness, alongside sound quality and smart-home controls.
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Originally published by The Verge as “HomePod Mini 2 first look: Three things I love and one disappointment”.