Apple introduces HomePod mini in new bold and expressive colors

Rhea-AI Summary

Apple has launched the HomePod mini in three new colors—yellow, orange, and blue—enhancing its compact smart speaker range. Priced at $99, it features impressive sound quality, Siri integration, and smart home capabilities. The new models maintain the same size and functionality as existing options and will be available in November. HomePod mini utilizes computational audio for optimal sound performance and offers features like multi-user voice recognition, enhanced privacy controls, and compatibility with Apple’s music and podcast services. The initiative aligns with Apple's commitment to sustainability.

Positive

• Launch of HomePod mini in three new colors enhances product offering.
• Price set at $99 makes it accessible while retaining premium features.
• Advanced computational audio technology ensures high sound quality.
• Enhanced privacy controls prioritize user data security.
• Compatibility with Apple services boosts ecosystem integration.

Negative

• None.

HomePod mini delivers impressive sound, works seamlessly with iPhone, features the intelligence of Siri, and is the foundation for any smart home

CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Apple® today introduced HomePod mini® in three bold new colors — yellow, orange, and blue — giving users more ways to express their personality and style in any space. At just 3.3 inches tall, HomePod mini offers a great music-listening experience, the intelligence of Siri®, and smart home capabilities, with privacy and security built in. Its seamless integration across Apple’s products and services make HomePod mini the ultimate smart speaker for anyone with an Apple device. HomePod mini will be available in these new colors, along with white and space gray, with color-matched details throughout, including the tinted touch surface, mesh fabric, volume icons, and woven power cable, starting in November for just $99.

HomePod mini is now available in three bold new colors: orange, yellow, and blue, in addition to white and space gray. (Photo: Business Wire)

“HomePod mini sounds incredible, and with access to more than 90 million songs in the global Apple Music catalog and deep integration with your Apple devices, it’s the must-have smart speaker for iPhone users,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With new vibrant colors, HomePod mini fits in even more places and delivers amazing sound, the power of Siri, and simple and secure smart home controls, all while protecting your privacy.”

Big Sound in a Compact Speaker

HomePod mini uses computational audio to provide a rich and detailed acoustic experience and deliver peak performance. To achieve big sound out of such a compact design, the Apple S5 chip runs advanced software to analyze the unique characteristics of the music. It also applies complex tuning models to optimize loudness, adjust the dynamic range, and control the movement of the driver and passive radiators, all in real time. HomePod mini’s full-range driver, premium neodymium magnet, and pair of force-cancelling passive radiators enable it to produce deep bass and crisp high frequencies.

An Apple-designed acoustic waveguide directs the flow of sound down and out the bottom of the speaker for an immersive 360-degree audio experience. This design not only preserves richness and clarity, but makes it easy to place HomePod mini anywhere in a room and enjoy amazing sound from every angle. When placed in multiple rooms, HomePod mini speakers allow users to play the same music throughout the house, all in perfect sync, or a different song in every room. Placing two HomePod mini speakers in the same room creates a stereo pair for an even more immersive experience when listening to music. A three-microphone array listens for “Hey Siri,” and a fourth inward-facing microphone helps cancel out sound coming from the speaker to improve Siri’s ability to hear voice requests when music is playing.

Apple Music Voice on HomePod mini

HomePod mini is designed to work with Apple Music®, Apple Podcasts®, thousands of radio stations including the award-winning Apple Music 1℠ station, and popular music services like Pandora, Deezer, and others, providing entertainment for everyone.¹ Apple Music offers more than 90 million songs, all curated by world-class experts and tastemakers; thousands of curated playlists, including hundreds created specifically for the Apple Music Voice Plan; and more than 25,000 exclusive radio episodes and other original content. With the introduction of this new subscription tier, even more people will have access to this incredible catalog, hands-free, just by asking Siri.²

Ultimate Smart Speaker for iPhone Users

When listening to music or podcasts, or taking a phone call, users can seamlessly hand off the audio without missing a beat by bringing their iPhone® close to HomePod mini. The experience gets more magical with any U1-equipped iPhone — with visual, audible, and haptic effects that make it feel like the devices are physically connected as sound flows from one to another. If nothing is playing on HomePod mini, personalized listening suggestions will automatically appear on iPhone when it is near the speaker, and instant controls are available without needing to unlock iPhone.³

Powerful Intelligent Assistant

With the intelligence of Siri, HomePod mini delivers a personalized and deeply integrated experience for iPhone customers. Siri can recognize the voices of up to six different household members, tailor music and podcasts to their preferences, and respond to personal requests, like reading their messages, reminders, notes, and calendar appointments, or making and answering phone calls.⁴ Siri also provides users a personal update for a quick snapshot of their day. Users can ask “Hey Siri, what’s my update?” to hear the latest news, weather, traffic, reminders, and calendar appointments with a single request.

Effortless Smart Home Control

HomePod mini makes controlling smart home accessories effortless with simple voice commands for Siri to turn off the lights, change the temperature, lock the doors, set a scene, or control devices at specific times. Users can also get hands-free help by talking directly to various smart home accessories enabled with Siri. By design, Siri-enabled accessories will relay requests through a user’s HomePod mini on the same network, providing the level of privacy customers expect from Apple.

Intercom gives people a quick and easy way to connect at home. Users can send an Intercom message from one HomePod mini to another — whether in a different room, a specific zone, or multiple rooms throughout the home — and their voice message will automatically play on the designated HomePod mini. Intercom even works with iPhone, iPad®, Apple Watch®, AirPods®, and CarPlay®, so everyone in the household can get Intercom notifications and send Intercom messages from the backyard, on their way home, or while out and about.

Designed with Privacy and Security in Mind

Privacy and security are fundamental to the design of Apple hardware, software, and services. With HomePod mini, only after “Hey Siri” is recognized locally on the device, or the user activates Siri by touch, will any information be sent to Apple servers. Requests are not associated with the user’s Apple ID, nor is personal information used for Apple’s advertising purposes or sold to other organizations. HomePod mini works with iPhone to complete requests for messages and notes on the device without revealing that information to Apple.

Additional Features

• Expanded multi-user voice recognition: Starting later this year, Siri is expanding support for multi-user voice recognition to all regions where HomePod mini is available so everyone in the home can enjoy music tailored to their taste profile, access their own playlists, use Personal Requests, and more.
• Automatic Siri volume: Siri will also automatically adjust the speaking volume on HomePod mini based on the room environment and volume of the user.
• More diverse voice options for Siri: Siri now includes more diverse voice options for English speakers in the US, so users can choose the voice that speaks to them right from the start when they set up their device.
• Elevate sound on Apple TV 4K®: Users can pair HomePod mini to Apple TV 4K for a powerful sound experience with great range and high fidelity. Using computational audio, HomePod mini constantly analyzes the audio and models the performance to deliver crystal clear dialogue.
• Apple TV® controls: Together, Siri and HomePod mini power new ways for users to interact with Apple TV. For example, users can ask Siri to turn on Apple TV, start a show or movie, and control playback.
• Fun sounds: Ask Siri on HomePod mini what various animals, instruments, or vehicles sound like and Siri will play a fun, high-fidelity sound.
• New ways to control smart home devices: Siri can control smart home accessories at specific times, so Siri can turn off the lights in 10 minutes or turn on the porch lights at sunset.
• Find My™: Ask Siri on HomePod mini to help locate a misplaced iPhone, iPad, iPod touch®, Mac®, Apple Watch, or AirTag™ by playing a sound to pinpoint its location.

HomePod mini and the Environment

HomePod mini was designed with the environment in mind and supports Apple’s plans to have net-zero climate impact across the entire business, which includes manufacturing supply chains and all product life cycles, by 2030. HomePod mini utilizes 99 percent recycled rare earth elements, with the neodymium magnet in the speaker driver utilizing 100 percent recycled rare earth elements. The seamless mesh fabric is made with more than 90 percent recycled plastic, and all of the packaging wood fibers are from responsibly managed forests or recycled sources. HomePod mini is also free of mercury, BFRs, PVC, and beryllium.

HomePod mini uses power-efficient components and software that can intelligently power them down during periods of inactivity. For example, through optimized power management features and a high-efficiency power supply, HomePod mini has been designed to be efficient in its Low Power Mode, where the majority of time is spent. HomePod mini consumes 75 percent less energy than the stringent requirements for ENERGY STAR.

Pricing and Availability

• HomePod mini will be available in yellow, orange, and blue, in addition to white and space gray, for $99 (US) from apple.com/store, in the Apple Store® app, and at Apple Store locations. HomePod mini will also be available through Apple Authorized Resellers and select carriers (prices may vary).
• Customers in Australia, Austria, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, the UK, and the US can purchase HomePod mini in November.
• HomePod mini is compatible with iPhone SE, iPhone 6s or later, or iPod touch (7th generation) running iOS 15; iPad Pro®, iPad (5th generation or later), iPad Air® 2 or later; or iPad mini® 4 or later running iPadOS® 15.
• Customers in the US get 3 percent Daily Cash back when they buy directly from Apple with Apple Card®.

Footnotes:

¹ A subscription may be required for music streaming services.
² The new Apple Music Voice Plan will be available later this fall in select countries and regions for $4.99 per month.
³ Requires a U1‑equipped iPhone. Ultra Wideband availability varies by region. A subscription may be required for music streaming services.
⁴ Multi-user features are available in English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. Starting later this year, Siri support for multi-user voice recognition on HomePod mini will expand to additional regions.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. Apple’s five software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom (www.apple.com/newsroom), or call Apple’s Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042.

© 2021 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, HomePod mini, Siri, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple Music 1, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, CarPlay, Apple TV 4K, Apple TV, Find My, iPod touch, Mac, AirTag, Apple Store, iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini, iPadOS, and Apple Card are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005768/en/

Jacqueline Roy

Apple

jacqueline_roy@apple.com

408-862-4386

Nadine Haija

Apple

nhaija@apple.com

408-862-6490

Source: Apple Inc.

FAQ

When will the new HomePod mini colors be available?

The new HomePod mini colors will be available starting in November.

What is the price of the HomePod mini?

The HomePod mini is priced at $99.

What new features does the HomePod mini offer?

The HomePod mini features advanced sound quality, Siri integration, and smart home capabilities.

How does the HomePod mini enhance privacy?

The HomePod mini has built-in privacy controls that ensure user data is not collected without consent.

Is the HomePod mini compatible with Apple Music?

Yes, the HomePod mini works seamlessly with Apple Music and other popular music services.