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New HomePod Mini: Faster, Greener, But Mac Audio Fails
1 Nov
Summary
- HomePod Mini 2 boasts significantly faster response times.
- A new sophisticated green color option is a standout visual upgrade.
- The highly anticipated Mac speaker feature is currently not functional.
The second-generation HomePod Mini has arrived, bringing notable speed enhancements and a stylish new green color. Early testing reveals a significantly faster user experience, with Siri responding to commands in mere seconds, a vast improvement over the previous model's delays. This speed boost is attributed to a new S10 processor and Wi-Fi 6E support.
The aesthetic appeal of the new Mini is also a highlight, particularly the sophisticated deep green finish, which is considered the most attractive color option available. While Apple did not upgrade the internal speakers, they still provide good sound quality for their size, capable of filling a room, especially when used in stereo pairs.
A major disappointment for early users is the non-functional Mac speaker integration. Despite meeting the hardware and software requirements, the feature designed to create a persistent AirPlay connection between a Mac and the HomePod Mini did not work as expected, exhibiting regular AirPlay issues instead.
Despite this unfinished feature, the speed improvements and aesthetic upgrades make the HomePod Mini 2 a compelling, though not perfect, iteration. Future updates, including the promised Siri AI, are expected to further enhance its capabilities.
