HomePod Mini Turns Two as Apple Looks to Expand Lineup Next Year

The HomePod mini was released to customers two years ago this week, marking the first addition to the HomePod family since the original speaker launched in 2018. Two years after its release, the ‌HomePod‌ lineup has remained relatively stagnant, but that's set to change in 2023.

homepod mini color bars
When Apple announced the ‌HomePod mini‌ in October 2020, the original full-sized ‌HomePod‌ remained in the lineup. In March 2021, however, Apple discontinued the full-sized HomePod, saying it wanted to dedicate more time to the ‌HomePod mini‌. The ‌HomePod mini‌ addressed several of the biggest concerns from customers about the original ‌HomePod‌, including size and price. Unlike the original ‌HomePod‌, the ‌HomePod mini‌ costs $99 and comes in a wider variety of color options.

Now, as the ‌HomePod mini‌ turns two, we look to the future and what Apple has in store.

Resurrection of Full-Sized HomePod

HomePod Crash Feature
The biggest ‌HomePod‌ news we're expecting in the near future is a resurrection of the original full-sized ‌HomePod‌. When Apple discontinued the original ‌HomePod‌, many speculated the reason for the decision came down to the ‌HomePod‌'s $299 price tag and its lack of features, which led to lackluster sales.

For 2023, Apple is expected to launch an updated version of the full-sized ‌HomePod‌ it discontinued to fill the current gap in the ‌HomePod‌ lineup. The newer ‌HomePod‌ is rumored to feature the S8 chip from the Apple Watch Series 8, providing faster performance for Siri requests and different features.

Other features could include a larger multi-touch display at the top, but the overall form factor and design are expected to stay the same. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects the new ‌HomePod‌ to launch in the first quarter of next year.

An Updated HomePod mini

homepod mini five colors
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple could update the ‌HomePod mini‌ in the near future, but specific details are unknown. The current ‌HomePod mini‌ is powered by the S5 chip, the same chip found in the Apple Watch Series 5 and the first-generation Apple Watch SE. In a hypothetical update, Apple could include a newer and faster chip, allowing for faster processing of ‌Siri‌ requests and features like Handoff.

Apple TV and HomePod Combo

AppleTV and HomePod Feature
A ‌HomePod‌ product that's still under early development is an Apple TV and ‌HomePod‌ combo, according to Bloomberg's ‌Mark Gurman‌. Gurman reports that Apple is developing a ‌HomePod‌ speaker that includes the functionality of the ‌Apple TV‌, offering an all-in-one TV entertainment system with a display. The product is also reported to have a camera, possibly allowing for FaceTime and video calls. No other details are known at this time as the product launch is likely a while away, assuming it launches at all.

What would you like to see in a future ‌HomePod‌ product? Let us know in the comments below.

Related Roundups: HomePod, HomePod mini

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Top Rated Comments

adammusic Avatar
31 months ago
GIVE US AN ALTERNATIVE WAKE WORD BESIDES SIRI SO IT CAN DISTINGUISH BETWEEN HOMEPOD AND CELL PHONE.
SO MY BROTHERS HOMEPOD DOESNT ACTIVATE WHEN IM TALKING TO MY PHONE 4 ROOMS OVER.
sorry for caps.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aParkerMusic Avatar
31 months ago

The chink in the chain is Siri, if they don't expand Siri to be on par with Alexa then it will always be a very limited smart speaker. I am sure they sound great, but all the smart speakers sound good now and really only the picky audiophiles are going to really appreciate the moderately better speakers. Not sure why Apple would be looking to expand when they have been going the opposite direction. Do they discontinue a MacBook or iMac before they come out with a new one?
“All” the “smart speakers” do not sound good. Many of them sound like trash compared to the original HomePod (and a stereo pair of the HomePod minis)

I am still trying to figure out what exactly people want Siri to do that it doesn’t already.

I love how we were all supposed to be impressed that you could “go shopping” on the Amazon Echo. It was a terrible limited experience, but people felt it was beyond Siri’s capabilities so it was cool.

I need an AI assistant for simple things; weather, turn on/off lights, set a timer, etc. Siri does all of this for me. I would like it to be more reliable, but the issue is not in the core functionality.

So, I guess I’m asking why people hate Siri so much.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Boidem Avatar
31 months ago

all the smart speakers sound good now and really only the picky audiophiles are going to really appreciate the moderately better speakers
I've heard quite a few popular smart speakers, from Sonos to B+W etc, and for the money, nothing beat the original Homepod. Sonos in particular is a very overrated brand imo. Sound quality is important; at this sort of price point, many alternatives are dreadful. Apple had a winning product there. The prices of used Homepods are testament to their actual popularity.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vegetassj4 Avatar
31 months ago
I’m waiting on the rumored Homepod Ultra with the 18” subwoofer.




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Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
EvilEvil Avatar
31 months ago
Apple really needs to make wireless versions of these speakers that you can charge on a MagSafe charger.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dandoodle Avatar
31 months ago
I have 4 original HomePods, and 2 minis in our house, they're great but as everyone has said Siri is the let down especially when it comes to HomeKit. When you ask a simple question it directs me back to my phone, totally pointless.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)