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Apple recently introduced the large second-generation HomePod. Now some fans are wondering if Apple is working on the second generation of the HomePod mini. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is probably not working on a new version of the smart speaker.
In the latest edition of his newsletter “Power On” explained Gurman says he does not believe that Apple is actively working on a successor to the HomePod mini and explains this:
After the launch of the new full-size HomePod, many users have been asking for an update to the mini model. But right now, I don't think Apple is actively working on such a product. The latest HomePod doesn't offer any new features that aren't already included in the $99 mini model, so there's no obvious reason for an update. Sure, it would be nice to have more colors, a cheaper price, better sound, and better microphones, but the real improvements probably need to be made on the backend - with Siri and app integration.
The HomePod mini was announced at Apple's iPhone 12 event in October 2020. Less than six months later, Apple discontinued the original HomePod, leaving the HomePod mini as the company's only smart speaker until Apple relaunched the full-size HomePod this week.
A new HomePod mini will be a while coming
The newly launched HomePod offers a host of features previously exclusive to the HomePod mini, including an Apple Watch S-series chip, a U1 Ultra Wideband chip, Thread support, a temperature and humidity sensor, and a larger backlit touch surface that glows from edge to edge. In August 2022, Gurman said that Apple was considering releasing an updated version of the HomePod mini in the future, but offered no specific timeline or details on potential new features. He said the update likely wouldn't be "super-impressive," suggesting that the changes to the smaller HomePod mini would be minor. However, those plans now appear to be on hold. (Photo by Unsplash / James Yarema)
