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The $149 HomePod Mini 2 feels much quicker than the original in hands-on testing, with faster music playback and smart-home commands, plus a setting to lock its touch controls. Its speakers are unchanged, and Apple’s promised Siri AI update has not arrived. The reviewer also found the Mac default-speaker AirPlay feature disappointing, though the supplied report cuts off before explaining that test in detail.
The $149 HomePod Mini 2 responds faster to music requests and smart-home commands than its predecessor, according to a hands-on report by The Verge, but Apple’s promised Siri AI features are not available yet. The second-generation speaker also adds a setting to lock its touch controls; its speaker hardware is unchanged from the original model.
After using two Mini 2 speakers in a home office for a couple of days, The Verge reviewer said basic Siri requests regularly took under three seconds. In the reviewer’s tests, a Taylor Swift track began within a couple of seconds, a question about the World Series was answered in under two seconds, and commands to turn off a light or open shades took under three seconds. The reviewer contrasted those results with waits of up to 10 seconds often experienced on the first-generation Mini. These are reported test observations, not a guarantee of response times in every home.
The performance change is attributed to a move from Apple’s S5 to S10 chip and from Wi-Fi 4 to Wi-Fi 6E. The new speaker also responds to some smart-home requests with less spoken confirmation. But more complex questions still prompt Siri to offer web results on an iPhone, and the larger Siri AI upgrade remains a future software update, with no specific release date given in the source report.
The report describes the new green finish as a standout and says the unchanged speakers still deliver clear vocals and mids with capable bass for a speaker of this size. Two units paired in stereo filled the reviewer’s office with sound. Another addition, Sound Glow, uses the top LEDs to reflect colors from album art, but the reviewer found the effect subtle; it works with Apple Music and Podcasts and also supports some older HomePod models. A new Home app setting can lock the top controls on old and new HomePods.
Faster Commands, Pending Siri AI
The report suggests the Mini 2’s most practical improvement is not a new sound system but less waiting for everyday commands. Faster playback and lighting or shade controls may matter to people who use a HomePod as part of a smart-home setup, especially if their existing speaker often responds slowly. The reviewer’s results are based on a short, individual test, so they do not establish how the speaker will perform across different networks or homes.
The gap between the available improvements and the promised AI features also matters to buyers. The Mini 2 is priced at $149, compared with $99 for the original at launch, while its speaker hardware has not changed. Buyers deciding whether to upgrade should weigh the reported speed and control changes against the lack of a new audio system and the uncertainty around when Siri AI will arrive.
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From S5 to S10
Apple introduced the first HomePod Mini six years before the second-generation model covered in the report. The original launched at $99; the Mini 2 is listed at $149. Before testing the new speaker, The Verge reviewer said the higher price and limited hardware changes had prompted disappointment. Hands-on use shifted that view because routine requests felt much quicker.
The new model’s headline changes described in the report include its S10 chip, Wi-Fi 6E, new color options, Sound Glow, and settings for the top controls. The reviewer said Apple did not update the speaker system. The promised Siri AI capabilities are separate from the speed improvement the reviewer experienced with the existing assistant.
“Apple says it’s coming “later” in a software update.”
— The Verge reviewer, describing the Siri AI release timing
AI Timing and AirPlay Results
No release date for Siri AI is supplied; Apple’s timing is described only as “later” in a software update. The report says the new assistant’s more demanding capabilities are not yet available, so its impact cannot be judged from this hands-on test.
The source material also begins describing the Mini 2’s Mac default-speaker feature, which uses what Apple calls a “responsive and persistent AirPlay connection,” but ends before giving the reviewer’s test results or explaining the disappointment referenced in the headline. The available text therefore does not establish what failed, how often it happened, or whether the issue was caused by the speaker, Mac, or network. It also does not provide independent measurements of sound quality, battery use, or performance across different Wi-Fi conditions.
Awaiting Apple’s Siri Update
The next stated milestone is Apple’s Siri AI software update, but the report provides no date. Until it is released, buyers can judge the Mini 2 only on features available during the hands-on test, including faster basic commands, Wi-Fi 6E, control locking, and Sound Glow.
More detail would also be needed to evaluate the Mac AirPlay feature raised in the report’s headline. The supplied source excerpt does not finish that portion of the review, so its specific limitation remains unresolved here.
Key Questions
What is new in the HomePod Mini 2?
The report identifies an S10 chip instead of the original’s S5, Wi-Fi 6E instead of Wi-Fi 4, new color options, Sound Glow lighting, and a Home app setting to lock the top controls. Apple’s Siri AI features are not available yet.
Is the HomePod Mini 2 faster than the original?
The Verge reviewer reported that basic requests regularly took under three seconds in testing, compared with waits of up to 10 seconds the reviewer often experienced on the first-generation Mini. Those results are individual observations, not a universal performance guarantee.
Did Apple improve the Mini 2’s sound system?
The report says Apple did not update the speakers. The reviewer nevertheless found the sound good for the device’s size and said two units paired in stereo filled a home office.
When will Siri AI arrive on the HomePod Mini 2?
Apple’s timing is described in the report only as “later” in a software update. No specific release date is provided.
Can the new touch-control lock work on older HomePods?
Yes. According to the report, the Home app setting to lock the top controls applies to older and newer HomePods, not just the Mini 2.
Source: theverge.com
