You’re forgiven to assume that just because the HomePod mini 2 has the same spherical design as its predecessor, not much has changed. But there are plenty more brewing beneath its mesh surface.
It’s been six years since the HomePod mini first launched, but now we get to see the fruits of its laboured R&D in its next generation. This is a smart home hub, and by that definition, it needed to be… well, smart. That’s where Siri AI comes in.
Unfortunately, at the point of writing, Siri AI is only available in a future software update, so we couldn’t experience the aid and intuitiveness of the voice assistant when it is integrated with other smart home devices. But we were told that Siri AI will deliver a more “conversational and context-aware assistant experience”. This means that it can pull your personal data from other linked Apple devices and deduce what you need based on context clues.
The HomePod mini 2 uses an S10 chip (an upgrade from the previous S5 chip), which has a smaller physical footprint and faster processing power. The average speaker plays music; the HomePod mini 2 not only does that, but it also uses dynamic audio optimisation, where it monitors the audio, and adjusts and optimises the range, loudness, and overall acoustic performance.
If you’re looking for that DIY rave party, the HomePod mini 2 has a Sound Glow feature, where it glimmers and pulse in tandem with the music played. The speaker also maps out the room and adapts its internal EQ to balance echo and tighten frequencies.
Once synched with the rest of your smart home devices, with just your voice, you can issue commands to the HomePod mini 2 to lock the front door, or turn the lights on or off. If you don’t feel like barking orders, the Home app on your smartphone, lets you have control over many smart home actions.
Echoing Apple’s commitment to personal privacy, any data that the HomePod mini 2 collates is only stored in your local device. To paraphrase a famous state motto’s phrase, “Whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”
So, we have the body that’s primed and ready for anything you can throw at it, but the brain—Siri AI—is a promise yet to come. It makes for a fine speaker, but for now, let’s all make like monks and be patient for the HomePod mini 2 software update with Siri AI.
The HomePod mini 2 comes in five colourways, and retails for SGD199.
