Apple’s Welcome Home event is now over, and there’s no denying that the HomeView was the main star of the show. That said, it wasn’t the only product unveiled during the event. If you’ve been keeping up with the news, you’ll know that the tech giant has also officially announced the new HomePod mini 2.

In terms of design, the new smart speaker looks almost identical to its predecessor, which debuted in 2020. However, it now features the company’s S10 chip alongside several new features aimed at making it a more capable part of the tech giant’s smart home ecosystem. It is also available in five colours: Pink, Green, Blue, White, and Midnight.

According to Apple’s official press release, the HomePod mini 2 delivers “room-filling audio with a single speaker, in stereo pairs, or using multiroom audio”. When paired with an Apple TV 4K, it can also be part of a four-speaker surround sound setup. Beyond audio playback, the smart speaker lets users control compatible smart home accessories using voice commands.

The tech giant says that, when paired with the Apple TV 4K, the streaming device can recognise the speakers’ positions in a room and automatically calibrate audio timing and levels to suit the space. The HomePod mini 2 can also serve as the default speaker for compatible Mac computers.

Thanks to its circular design, the HomePod mini 2 is designed to deliver 360-degree sound. Under the hood, it is powered by the S10 chip and uses “advanced computational audio” to analyse music in real time, optimising dynamic range, loudness, and acoustic performance, according to the company.

On the aesthetic front, the HomePod mini 2 introduces what Apple calls “Sound Glow”. Rather than a conventional display, the feature adds lighting effects to the top of the speaker that respond to music, including changes in bass and treble in real time.

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The feature also matches the lighting effects to the album artwork displayed in Now Playing, creating a different colour scheme for each song. Users can also choose soundscapes, such as rain, to trigger custom animations for a more relaxing ambience.

The HomePod mini 2 also serves as a smart home hub, allowing users to control compatible devices with voice commands. This includes locking doors, closing the garage door, adjusting blinds and thermostats, and switching off lights before bedtime. Users can also set up automations and create scenes in the Home app to control multiple smart home accessories at once. Additionally, the speaker lets users securely manage their connected devices through the Home app on their iPhone, whether they are at home or away.

The speaker also supports Sound Recognition, which can detect smoke or carbon monoxide alarms and send alerts to the user’s iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Through the Home app, users can also listen and talk to people at home via the speaker to check if everything is alright.

Lastly, Apple says that it has placed a strong emphasis on privacy and security with the HomePod mini 2. According to the company, audio from Siri requests is not stored by default, helping to protect users’ privacy.

According to Apple’s official website, the HomePod mini 2 is priced at RM649 in Malaysia. Pre-orders will open on 15 October at 9AM local time, with the smart speaker set to hit store shelves on 30 October.

(Source: Apple)