HomePod mini Launches in Austria and Ireland, Coming to New Zealand Later This Month

Apple last month announced that the HomePod mini would be made available in several new countries in June. Now, less than a month later, the ‌HomePod mini‌ has officially launched in Austria and Ireland, and is listed as "available in June" in New Zealand, suggesting availability in the next couple of weeks.

homepod mini thumb feature
The ‌HomePod mini‌ is the follow-up to the original HomePod released in 2018. The full-sized ‌HomePod‌ failed to become a mainstream hit, leading to its discontinuation. The $99 ‌HomePod mini‌ features a significantly smaller design than the original ‌HomePod‌ but offers the same functionality enabled by Siri.

The ‌HomePod mini‌ first launched in October of 2020 in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Spain, and the UK. Both the ‌HomePod‌ and ‌HomePod mini‌ will gain support for Apple Music's recently launched lossless audio feature via a software update later this year. Additionally, the ‌HomePod mini‌ will be able to be set as the default output speaker for Apple TV 4K starting later this year.

Related Roundup: HomePod mini
Buyer's Guide: HomePod Mini (Caution)

Popular Stories

iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.5 With New Wallpaper, Screen Time Changes, Carrier Satellite Support for iPhone 13 and More

Monday May 12, 2025 10:06 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

WSJ: Apple Weighing Price Hikes for iPhone 17 Lineup Without Blaming Tariffs

Monday May 12, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
Apple is considering raising prices for its upcoming iPhone 17 models set to release this fall, according to people familiar with the matter cited by The Wall Street Journal. The company reportedly aims to pair the potential price hikes with new features and design changes to justify the increased cost to consumers, rather than attributing them to U.S. tariffs on goods from China. The...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Expected This Week With These New Features

Monday May 12, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple is expected to release iOS 18.5 to the general public this week. While the software update is relatively minor, it still includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones. Below, we recap everything new in iOS 18.5. Pride Wallpaper Apple recently announced its 2025 Pride Collection, including a new Apple Watch band, watch face,...
tvOS 18 Feature

Apple Releases tvOS 18.5

Monday May 12, 2025 10:01 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 18.5, the latest version of the tvOS operating system. tvOS 18.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models. tvOS 18.5 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌Apple TV‌ owners who have...
Mayday Calendar

Apple Acquisition Hints at Upgraded Calendar App on iOS 19 or Beyond

Friday May 9, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Apple acquired Canadian startup Mayday Labs in April 2024, according to a European Commission listing, spotted by French blog MacGeneration. The acquisition had not received widespread attention from tech publications until now. Apple is legally required to report certain acquisitions to the European Commission, under the terms of the EU's Digital Markets Act. Mayday Labs founder Jeremy...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.5

Monday May 12, 2025 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.5, the fifth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched last September. macOS Sequoia 15.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.4. Mac users can download the ‌‌‌macOS Sequoia 15.5‌‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run ...
top stories 2025 05 10

Top Stories: iOS 18.5 Release Imminent, iPhone Rumors for 2025 and Beyond, and More

Saturday May 10, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
With Apple's developer conference where it will show off iOS 19 just a month away, the company is wrapping up work on iOS 18.5 ahead of an imminent release to deliver a few new features and updates. This week also saw a number of iPhone-related rumors, encompassing not only this year's iPhone 17 lineup but also Apple's plans for 2026 and 2027, even as Apple's Eddy Cue suggested AI could make ...

Top Rated Comments

mungo2k Avatar
51 months ago
Does anyone know why the rollout is slow around the world? Is it technical or legal? A Siri-language issue? 3 years after the original HomePod release, you still cannot officially buy it in rich, Apple-loving countries like Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, or in other large European countries like Portugal, Italy, Poland, Belgium etc.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PilotWoo Avatar
51 months ago
I sold my Homepod MINI. Disappointed with the sound quality, it didn't play nice on a mesh Wifi network, and Siri was as useless as it is on any other Apple device.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Dave Avatar
51 months ago
It’s still unavailable for purchase on the New Zealand Apple Store.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
genovelle Avatar
51 months ago

The sound of the original HomePod wasn't bad enough, so Apple had to try again...
This time they succeeded!
I remember when most people had HiFi in their homes... Uncompressed CD sound on big stereo speakers! TWO of them!!!
How about vinyl?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LimpHamster Avatar
51 months ago

Does anyone know why the rollout is slow around the world? Is it technical or legal? A Siri-language issue? 3 years after the original HomePod release, you still cannot officially buy it in rich, Apple-loving countries like Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, or in other large European countries like Portugal, Italy, Poland, Belgium etc.
Wonder the same, why would it take so long for apple to launch the HomePod in other countries? It is really disappointing. There are more examples of such slow roll-outs, like the swipe to type feature in iOS which is not available in parts of Europe, I suppose the live text feature wont be available in like a decay too :)
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MauiPa Avatar
51 months ago

The sound of the original HomePod wasn't bad enough, so Apple had to try again...
This time they succeeded!
I remember when most people had HiFi in their homes... Uncompressed CD sound on big stereo speakers! TWO of them!!!
Well, all random dude snark aside. Professional testers have rated the HomePod as sounding great. (I wold agree). The mini also sounds fantastic. I have a pair set up in a room with a HomePod, you can play on all three speakers, set the volume so that it splits the sound field in the middle and then move between the HomePod and mini, the tone and musical characteristics are pretty much identical, except for a heavier bass sound on the HomePod, but not unpleasantly so.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)