Apple announces $149 HomePod mini 2 with Sound Glow and Siri AI support

Apple today announced HomePod mini 2, featuring new colors, enhanced audio and support for Siri AI, which is coming to the speaker in a future software update.

New colors and Sound Glow. HomePod mini 2 comes in pink, green, blue, white and midnight. A new feature called Sound Glow turns the top of the speaker into a light display that pulses in sync with music, with colors generated from the song's album artwork. Users can also pick a soundscape like rain for its own animation.

S10 chip and surround sound. The speaker is powered by the Apple S10 chip and computational audio, delivering 360-degree sound on its own, in a stereo pair or with multiroom audio. For the first time, four HomePod mini 2 speakers can form a surround sound setup with Apple TV 4K (4th generation), which Apple says calibrates audio timing and levels to the room automatically. HomePod mini 2 can also serve as a speaker for Mac.

Siri AI, later. Apple says Siri AI will bring personal context with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad, broad world knowledge and back-and-forth conversation. HomePod mini can recognize up to six users in a household by their voice. Once Siri AI is enabled, users without an Apple Intelligence-enabled device still get its world knowledge and improved music discovery.

Smart home features. HomePod mini works as a home hub, controls accessories and automations by voice, and uses Sound Recognition to alert users to smoke or carbon monoxide alarms. It also works with Apple Home Collection video doorbells and cameras, using Face Recognition to announce who is at the door.

Price and availability. HomePod mini 2 costs $149 (U.S.). Customers in the U.S. and more than 23 other countries and regions can pre-order starting today, with availability in stores beginning Friday, October 30. Siri AI will come to HomePod mini 2 in English via a future software update in the U.S., Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the UK.