HomePod mini 2 has been on sale since Friday 30 October, and it costs £149 in the UK, $149 in the US and €169 in Germany and France. It is a small smart speaker with a new S10 chip, a glowing top and five colours. The feature Apple led its launch with, Siri AI, is still not on it: Apple’s UK store says it will come later as a free software update, with no date. Here is what you get, what it costs where you live, and what to know before you buy.
The short answer
- Price: £149 in the UK, €169 in Germany, France and Ireland, $149 in the US.
- On sale: since 30 October, in the US and more than 23 other countries and regions.
- Siri AI: promised for later in English only, in eight countries, with no date.
- Colours: pink, green, blue, white and midnight.
- Software: it needs HomePod software 27.2.
Price and availability around the world
Apple announced the speaker on 13 October and opened pre-orders the same day. Customers in the US and more than 23 other countries and regions could order it, with availability from 30 October. The starting price is the same for every colour. These figures come from Apple’s own stores on 2 November.
| Country | Price |
|---|---|
| UK | £149 |
| Germany | €169 |
| France | €169 |
| Ireland | €169 |
| US | $149 |
| Canada | C$199 |
| Australia | A$229 |
| India | ₹18,900 |
UK and EU prices include VAT. US prices are before sales tax. Apple’s UK store also offers three months of Apple Music free to new subscribers with a new HomePod mini 2, after which it costs £11.99 a month. For the full launch, read our report on the announcement.
What HomePod mini 2 does today
It runs HomePod software 27.2. Apple lists these features in its press release and on its product page:
- Sound: a full-range driver and two passive radiators produce a 360-degree sound field. The S10 chip tunes the audio in real time.
- Sound Glow: the top of the speaker pulses with the music and can match the colours of the album artwork. You can also pick a soundscape such as rain.
- Smart home: it works as a home hub, so you can control accessories from the Home app on your iPhone when you are away. It also runs automations by voice.
- Sound Recognition: it listens for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and sends a notification to your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
- Mac speaker: it can be the default speaker for a Mac.
- Stereo and multiroom: use one speaker, a stereo pair or multiroom audio with AirPlay.
What is not there yet: Siri AI
Apple says Siri AI will come to HomePod mini 2 in a future software update, in English, in the US, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the UK. It can recognise up to six people in a household by voice and use personal context from a paired iPhone or iPad. It can also hold a longer conversation and answer general questions from the web. Neither Apple’s press release nor its UK store gives a date. Our Siri AI guide lists every supported device and language.
There are conditions. The owner of the home in the Home app needs an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad with Siri AI turned on. Apple’s footnote also says Siri AI will not be initially available in the EU on iOS or iPadOS, so a household in Germany or France will not get the iPhone-based features at first. Some features rely on server-side models and are subject to daily usage limits, and Apple says expanded access will be available for a fee in the future.
Stereo pairs, surround sound and the original HomePod mini
Apple’s footnotes say a stereo pair needs two speakers of the same model and generation, such as two HomePod mini 2. That means a HomePod mini 2 cannot be paired with an original HomePod mini. Home cinema surround sound needs four HomePod mini 2 or HomePod (2nd generation) speakers in matching pairs, plus the new Apple TV 4K. The Apple TV 4K goes on sale on 13 November, as does HomeView.
HomePod mini 2 or HomePod?
Apple still sells the larger HomePod at £349 in the UK. Apple’s comparison shows the HomePod has a high-excursion woofer and a five-tweeter beamforming array, and supports Spatial Audio and room sensing. The HomePod mini 2 has none of those three. Both are home hubs, both do Sound Recognition and both can make stereo pairs. If sound quality matters most, the HomePod is the one to get. If you want an inexpensive hub and a speaker for a desk or kitchen, the mini 2 costs less than half as much.
Should you buy it now?
If you want a speaker, a home hub and Sound Glow, there is no reason to wait. If you are buying mainly for Siri AI, remember that it has no date, is English-only and will not work with an iPhone in the EU at first. In that case, waiting costs you nothing.