- Expected to launch before the iPhone 17
- New Wi-Fi chip that’ll also be in the next Apple TV
- Probably won’t be called Mini 2: Siri Boogaloo
What’s got two thumbs and has a minor bit of news about the HomePod mini? The answer is me. A new report says that Apple is working on a refreshed version of its smallest smart home speaker, and that it should arrive before the iPhone 17.
The HomePod mini was launched in November 2020 and other than a few new color options, hasn’t been refreshed since.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing: in our HomePod mini review we gave it four stars for its impressive sound and of course, it still sounds the same today. But in the exciting world of Bluetooth and wireless speakers four years is a very long time, and the HomePod could do with at least a refresh to keep it current.
What’s happening with the HomePod mini?
The new report, from Bloomberg, says that Apple is working on its own Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip with support for at least Wi-Fi 6E. That chip is destined for multiple devices – iPhones, iPads and Macs – and it’ll be coming first to a refreshed HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K. Given that the annual iPhone launch is always in September, that suggests a launch some time before that.
Details of other improvements to the mini are entirely absent. But the report states that Apple is making the improvements as part of its wider smart home refresh: it’s been lagging behind rivals for a while now and 2025 is the beginning of the fight back.
Previous reports have revealed other smart home plans for 2025 and beyond: the long-rumored and occasionally leaked HomePod with touchscreen display, which could well be marketed more as a smart home hub (or soundbar) than a smart speaker; a similar HomePod with an old-iMac-style display on an arm, possibly a robotic one; and a smart home security camera, currently tipped for a 2026 launch with sales expectations in the tens of millions.