HomePod Mini 2 first look: faster Siri and quieter responses, but the Mac feature fails
A Verge reviewer spent two days with Apple's new $149 HomePod Mini 2 smart speaker. It is much faster than the first generation, but the feature that makes it a Mac's default speaker did not work for her.
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy of the technology site The Verge has published her first impressions of Apple's new HomePod Mini 2 smart speaker. The device costs $149, and she tested it for two days in her home office. The previous model, released six years ago, launched at $99.
She was initially disappointed, because the second generation brought a new chip, colors, lighting and improved AirPlay wireless streaming, but no upgrade to the sound system. After hands-on use, her view became more positive.
Faster, quieter Siri
The new speaker runs on an S10 processor (up from the S5) and supports Wi-Fi 6E (up from Wi-Fi 4). The Siri voice assistant typically responds in under three seconds, whereas the first-generation unit could take up to ten. For smart home actions such as turning on lights or opening shades, the device more often carries out the command without a spoken confirmation. The more heavily promoted Siri AI is not yet available; Apple says it will arrive "later" in a software update.
Color, sound and touch lock
The author particularly praises the deep green color. She rates the sound as good for a speaker of this size, and two units as a stereo pair filled her room with sound. A new setting in the Home app now lets users lock the speaker's top controls, and it applies to all HomePod models. The new Sound Glow feature tints the top surface to match album art, but it works only with Apple Music and Apple Podcasts.
Mac connection fails
The author had hoped to use the Mini 2 as a Mac's default speaker through a persistent AirPlay connection. Although she had the required hardware and software (macOS 27.2 and HomePod Software 27.2), the option did not appear in the Mac's sound settings, and the speaker behaved like a regular AirPlay device. Resetting the units did not help. She says she has seen similar reports from other users, and she contacted Apple but has not yet received a reply.
She plans to publish a full review once Siri AI launches.
