Apple unveiled a $149 HomePod mini smart speaker with an S10 chip on Tuesday, with Siri AI integration due through a future update.
The HomePod mini 2 costs $50 more than the original model launched in 2020. Preorders opened Tuesday, with availability starting October 30.
Apple said Siri AI will allow multi-turn conversations but gave no date for its availability to buyers of the new speaker.
The S10 chip is intended to improve dynamic range, loudness and acoustic performance. The speaker was introduced at Apple’s smart home event, where the new HomeView device was the main focus.
Users can control smart home devices through voice commands. The speaker can also detect sounds such as smoke alarms and send notifications to users’ phones, a capability Alexa devices have offered for years.
Apple said the speaker works better with its other devices. Users can pair four HomePod mini 2 speakers with the new Apple TV 4K for a home entertainment system, or use them as default Mac speakers for video calls and music playback.
A new feature called “Sound Glow” uses album-art colors to make the speaker’s top glow and pulse with music. Users can also select soundscapes, including rain or ocean waves, to trigger animations.
The speaker will come in pink, green, blue, white and midnight.
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