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

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
iPhone 12 Made in India

Trump Tells Tim Cook to Stop Building iPhones in India

Thursday May 15, 2025 2:21 am PDT by
President Donald Trump has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's manufacturing expansion in India, in a potential disruption of Apple's plan to shift iPhone production away from China. "I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said during his state visit to Qatar, according to Bloomberg. "He is building all over India." "They [India] have offered us a deal where...
apple music

Apple Music Gets New Transfer Tool to Make Switching From Spotify Easier

Wednesday May 14, 2025 5:17 pm PDT by
Apple this week introduced a new feature designed to allow prospective Apple Music users to import their saved music and playlists from third-party music services to Apple Music. The feature is either in an expanded testing phase or it has started rolling out, and it is available in Australia and New Zealand according to an Apple Support document. Signs of the transfer option first surfaced...
maxresdefault

Here's the First Real-World Look at Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:52 am PDT by
The first videos of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience are now available, providing a never-before-seen look at the long-anticipated iPhone-linked infotainment software. British automaker Aston Martin today shared the first video of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience in-action, followed by a detailed walk-through of the CarPlay Ultra system on Top Gear's YouTube channel, which provides the...
vision pro video recording

WSJ: Some Apple Vision Pro Buyers 'Feel Total Regret'

Friday May 16, 2025 7:43 am PDT by
Apple's Vision Pro headset has left many early adopters expressing dissatisfaction over its weight, limited use cases, and sparse software ecosystem, according to a new article from The Wall Street Journal. In the year following the device's launch, user feedback suggests that it has failed to meet expectations for comfort, software support, and social acceptance. In interviews conducted by T...

Top Rated Comments

adammusic Avatar
33 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
33 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
33 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
33 months ago
I’m waiting on the rumored Homepod Ultra with the 18” subwoofer.




Attachment Image
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
EvilEvil Avatar
33 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
33 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)