HomePod Mini
Smart speaker designed by Apple
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The HomePod mini is a smart speaker developed by Apple. It utilizes Apple's Siri digital assistant. It was released on November 16, 2020 as a smaller and less expensive version of Apple's HomePod.
October 30, 2026 (2)
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| Developer | Apple |
|---|---|
Product family | HomePod |
| Type | Smart speaker |
| Released | November 16, 2020 (1st) October 30, 2026 (2) |
Introductory price | US$99[a] (1st) US$149 (2) |
| Discontinued | October 13, 2026 (1st) |
| Original: audioOS 14.2 (18K60) Current: audioOS 27.0 (24J361) | |
| Apple S5 (1st) | |
| Memory | 1 GB (LPDDR4X) |
| Storage | 32 GB |
| Display | LED matrix (19 RGB LEDs) |
| Sound | 1 full-range speaker |
| Input | Touch screen, voice commands via Siri |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 4, Bluetooth 5.0, Thread, UWB (1st) Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6.0, Thread, UWB (2) |
| Power | 18 W |
| Dimensions | 3.3 × 3.9 in (84 × 99 mm) |
| Weight | 0.76 lb (0.34 kg) |
| Related | HomePod (second generation) HomeView |
| Website | apple.com/homepod-mini |
A second-generation model, the HomePod mini 2, was announced on October 13, 2026, and will be released on October 30, 2026, replacing the first-generation model.[2]
Overview
First generation (2020)
The HomePod mini is based on the Apple S5 system in a package also used for the Apple Watch Series 5 and SE. It improves Continuity and Handoff integration, enables Siri to recognize up to six people's voices and personalizing responses to each one, and adds the Intercom feature — also available on iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches — enabling users with more than one HomePod to communicate with each other in different rooms.[3] It requires an iPhone or iPad in order to run set up; it cannot be installed from a Mac.[4]
The HomePod mini has a single full-range speaker, which uses two passive radiators and a waveguide to shape the sound.
HomePod mini's wireless capabilities include 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, and an ultra-wideband chip for device proximity and AirPlay Handoff.[5] It is compatible with devices running iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 and later. tvOS 15 allows the Apple TV to use HomePod mini as a speaker, supporting a stereo pair.[6]
HomePod mini supports the Thread network protocol, supported by the Connected Home over IP working group. It can be used to control Apple Home devices and can function as a home hub, allowing it to control appliances remotely, grant guest access, and set up automations.[7]
It has a non-detachable USB-C cable and comes with a 20W power adapter.[8] With the release of audioOS 14.3 in late 2020, HomePod mini gained support for 18W power adapters, which made it compatible with third-party adapters and portable power banks.[9]
It is designed to operate at temperatures from 32° to 95 °F (0° to 35 °C); at relative humidity between 5% and 90% (noncondensing); and at altitudes up to 10,000 feet (3000 m). Following its launch, teardowns found a temperature and humidity sensor that was unannounced by Apple.[10] Humidity and temperature sensing was activated following the 16.3 software update in January 2023, after these sensors were added to the second-generation full-sized HomePod.[11]
On October 18, 2021, Apple announced that the existing gray and white options would be joined by blue, orange, and yellow versions. The new colors have a tinted touch display that is a lighter hue of the body color, and the braided cable is also colored accordingly. On July 15, 2024, Apple discontinued the space gray option and replaced it with a midnight color.[12]
On June 25, 2026, the U.S. price of the HomePod mini was increased to $129, due to component price increases caused by the global RAM and SSD shortage.[13]
Second generation (2026)
The HomePod mini 2 was announced on October 13, 2026, and will ship on October 30, priced at $149. This represents a 15.5% increase from the previous $129 intermediate price point and a 50.5% increase over the original $99 launch price. It includes an S10 chip and adds support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6. A future software update will add Siri AI functionality when paired with a supported iPhone or iPad.[14][15]
The HomePod mini 2 can also be configured as a persistent default audio output speaker for compatible Mac models, either as a single unit or a matched stereo pair. This feature requires a Mac equipped with Wi-Fi 6E or later.[16]
Sales
Apple sold an estimated 4.6 million smart speakers in Q4 2020, representing sales of both the HomePod mini and original HomePod.[17] The HomePod mini sold an estimated 2.18 million units in Q1 2021, representing 91% of Apple's smart speaker sales, along with the original HomePod.[18] It sold an estimated 2.5 million units worldwide in Q2 2021, and 4 million units in Q3.[19][20] It sold an estimated 4.5 million units in Q1 2022 and was the top selling individual smart speaker.[21]
Operating system
HomePods and HomePod minis run an operating system internally known as audioOS, a forked version of tvOS.[22] This operating system was launched alongside the release of the original HomePod, released on February 9, 2018. Though it was initially a fork of iOS,[23] since version 13.4 in 2020 it has been a fork of tvOS.[24] Software updates are installed automatically over-the-air, but can also be installed manually through the Home app.[25] audioOS's main user-facing features are AirPlay 2 and Siri.
In 2021, an Apple job listing referenced a non-existent "homeOS" operating system, echoing previous Bloomberg leaks about possible future Apple products for the living room that would merge the Apple TV and HomePod, the job listing eventually replaced "homeOS" for "HomePod Software".[26][27][28]
Comparison with other models
| Legend | Discontinued and unsupported | Discontinued and supported | Current | Upcoming |
|---|
| Models | HomePod[29] 1st generation |
HomePod[30] 2nd generation |
HomePod mini[31][32] | HomePod mini 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release date(s) | February 9, 2018 | February 3, 2023 | November 16, 2020 | October 30, 2026 |
| Discontinued | March 12, 2021 | In production | October 13, 2026 | In production |
| Initial OS | audioOS 11.0.2 | audioOS 16.0 | audioOS 14.1 | audioOS 27.2 |
| Latest OS | audioOS 27.0 | |||
| Hardware string | AudioAccessory1,1 | AudioAccessory6,1 | AudioAccessory5,1 | AudioAccessory11,1 |
| Model number | A1639 | A2825 | A2374 | A3374 |
| System on a chip/package | Apple A8 | Apple S7 | Apple S5 | Apple S10 |
| Speakers | 7 tweeters | 5 tweeters | 1 full-range driver, 2 passive radiators | |
| 4-inch (10 cm) woofer | ||||
| Microphones | 6 | 4 | 3 | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 4 | Wi-Fi 6E | |
| Bluetooth 5 | Bluetooth 6 | |||
| N/a | Thread | |||
| N/a | Ultra-wideband chip | |||
| Sensors | Accelerometer | |||
| N/a | Humidity and temperature | |||
| Sound recognition | ||||
| Dimensions | 6.8 in × 5.6 in (172 mm × 142 mm) |
6.6 in × 5.6 in (168 mm × 142 mm) |
3.3 in × 3.9 in (84.3 mm × 97.9 mm) | |
| Weight | 5.5 lb (2.5 kg) | 5.16 lb (2.3 kg) | 0.76 lb (345 g) | 0.74 lb (335 g) |
| Colors |
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| Power | Built-in power supply, captive cable[33] | Built-in power supply, detachable cable | External 20 W USB-C power adapter, captive cable | |
| Introductory price | US$349 | US$299 | US$99 | US$149 |