The Apple HomePod is one of the best-selling smart speakers in the world, and since its launch in 2018, it has represented an alternative to Amazon Echo and Google Nest speakers for those who love the Apple ecosystem. Part of the HomePod's success was due to its fantastic sound quality and understated design, but it wasn't without its flaws, and the built-in voice assistant Siri couldn't compete with the smart home integration offered by Alexa. and Google Assistant. That's why rumors of a new and improved HomePod were so compelling, and two years after the original's release, the company announced the Apple HomePod mini when it launched its iPhone 12 in October. Smaller and cheaper than the original HomePod, the mini is designed to "act as the brain of your smart home" according to Apple, and comes with an all-new design and nifty features like the ability to play voice messages across Apple devices, including AirPods, in your home. So is it worth upgrading to the HomePod mini if you already have Apple's original smart speaker? Or, if you're looking to invest in your first wireless speaker, which one should you buy? While we haven't tested the HomePod mini for ourselves yet, we've reviewed the specs to help you make an informed decision once the new speaker becomes available for purchase on November 6. Today's best Apple HomePod mini and Apple HomePod deals Apple HomePod - Space Gray Apple - HomePod - Space Gray Apple HomePod with Wi-Fi ...
What's new with the Apple HomePod mini?
The Apple HomePod mini is the long-awaited successor to the original HomePod; smaller, cheaper, and with improved compatibility with Apple's ecosystem, it could be an attractive alternative to its larger predecessor. Prize One of the biggest changes of the new HomePod mini with respect to its predecessor is its price; It's expected to cost $99 / £99 / AU$149, which is much cheaper than the original HomePod, which cost $349 / £319 / AU$499 when it launched in 2018. Now that the Apple HomePod is a bit more old, it can usually be found at a discount, and the launch of the HomePod mini means you can expect fantastic Apple HomePod deals this Black Friday and Cyber Monday. So if you have Apple's biggest speaker in your heart, it's worth waiting until November 27 to buy it. The low price of the HomePod mini was a surprise; After all, Apple isn't exactly known for being affordable, and that puts it in direct competition with the new Amazon Echo and Google Nest Audio, which cost $99.99 / £89.99 / AU$149. busy from the HomePod, with a more rounded build that's pretty similar to the new Amazon Echo. It's much smaller than its predecessor at just 3.3 inches tall, but it shares the same wraparound fabric grille and touchscreen control panel on top, and is available in the same white and space gray colors. So if you're looking for a compact desk companion or a smart speaker that sits comfortably on your kitchen counter or nightstand, the HomePod mini is probably your best bet.
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(Image credit: Apple) Audio performance While we can't make a real assessment of the HomePod mini's audio performance without testing it ourselves, the specs shared by Apple give us some clues as to how it might sound compared to the original HomePod. . For starters, its much smaller build means it probably won't be as powerful as Apple's HomePod; in fact, it only contains one driver that acts as both a woofer and a tweeter compared to the seven separate tweeters and woofer found inside the larger HomePod. You can almost be sure that the HomePod mini won't be as bassy or loud as its predecessor. That said, the new smart speaker contains the Apple S5 chip, which Apple says can "analyze the unique characteristics of music and apply complex tuning patterns to optimize volume, adjust dynamic range, and control the movement of music." and liabilities in real time." So the HomePod mini's audio processing technology can somewhat make up for its small size. Even so, it's unlikely to match the original HomePod's beamforming technology, which allows it to automatically adapt its sound output to the room you're in. The original Apple HomePod offered fantastic audio quality, and based on the specs, we don't think the mini is up to the task. So if it's all about sound for you, the old HomePod is probably your best bet. That said, you can pair two HomePod minis together for stereo sound, and it's much cheaper to buy two than two original HomePods.
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(Image credit: Apple) Connectivity There are a few connectivity features coming to the HomePod mini that make it an attractive proposition over the original HomePod; although it is possible that these features will be shared between the two speakers in the future. The original HomePod offered excellent compatibility with the Apple ecosystem, and this is further enhanced by the small smart speaker. For example, when listening to music on your phone, you can simply hold your device close to the HomePod mini and, according to Apple, "stream music seamlessly without missing a beat." The company claims that visual, audible, and haptic effects when sound is transferred from one device to another will arrive later this year. Plus, you'll get personalized listening suggestions on your iPhone when it's next to your Apple HomePod mini, as well as the ability to control HomePod without unlocking your phone. As we said, this feature could be integrated into the HomePod 2018 via a software update, as we've already seen with the HomePod mini's Intercom feature (more on that later). Siri and smart home features The Apple HomePod mini comes with the company's built-in Siri voice assistant, just like its predecessor, and any updates that come with the HomePod mini will also be available on the original HomePod. These updates include the ability to identify who in your home is talking to Siri, as well as the ability to tailor music and podcasts to your preferences. Siri Shortcuts created on your iPhone will also be available on HomePods, which means you can ask it to do things like add milk to your shopping list. Siri can also play ambient sounds like rain to help you relax, help you find lost devices with Find My, set musical alarms, and deliver voice search web results right to your iPhone. With Siri built in, you can use HomePod mini to control your smart home devices, whether you want to turn off your smart lights or change the temperature with your smart thermostat; However, one of the big problems with the Apple HomePod is the fact that it simply doesn't have the same smart home control capabilities as Alexa and Google Home devices.
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(Image credit: LaComparacion)
What about the Apple HomePod?
The old Apple HomePod benefits from two new features: one shared by the HomePod mini and one exclusive to the larger smart speaker. Intercom A new feature called Intercom is announced with HomePod mini, and is also available on the original HomePod. The feature allows Apple HomePod to act as an intercom system for your home, allowing you to send voice messages to other HomePods, iPhones, iPads, CarPlay, and even AirPods. This feature is also available for the HomePod mini, so if you want to build a cheap intercom system and already have a larger HomePod, we recommend buying the cheaper Homepod mini to complete your setup. Dolby Atmos One new feature that seems to be unique to the old HomePod is the ability to function as a surround speaker in spatial 5.1, 7.1, and Dolby Atmos audio; it is expected to be updated with the software in the coming weeks. This will work if you only have one speaker, but placing one on each side of your TV will allow for the full 'spatial sound' experience you get from Atmos, where you place it as that object in the soundscape and fires. noise everywhere. If Dolby Atmos is a deal breaker and you want to use your smart speaker as part of your home theater setup, we recommend going with the older HomePod for that reason: its sonic weight and its ability to create sound. The virtual surround sound experience means it's the best speaker for the job. Of course, the HomePod mini works in stereo if you buy two, so it's an option if you're on a tighter budget.
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(Image credit: Apple)
To go
Without thoroughly testing the HomePod mini, we can't say for sure whether or not it'll be a worthwhile investment, but it's clear that it won't share the same audio power as its predecessor. As the smaller, cheaper version of the Apple HomePod, it's perfectly fine, and if sound quality isn't your main concern, the Homepod mini could be a great way to keep tabs on your home. smart and pick up some tunes in the process. , especially if you're setting up a smaller space. The same is true if you want to add Siri to a smaller room in your house and you already have the original HomePod – the new intercom feature means your whole house can be connected and there's no need to spend money on the larger HomePod if you're just looking. bring smart connectivity to an additional room. However, if sound quality is everything to you, the larger HomePod is probably your best bet, thanks to its impressive set of drivers, smart audio auto-tuning, and upcoming Dolby Atmos support.