PRESS RELEASE
19 October 2021
Apple introduces HomePod mini in new bold and expressive colours
HomePod mini delivers impressive sound, works seamlessly with iPhone, features the intelligence of Siri and is the foundation for any smart home
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today introduced HomePod mini in three bold new colours — yellow, orange and blue — giving users more ways to express their personality and style in any space. At just under 8.5 centimetres tall, HomePod mini offers a great music-listening experience, the intelligence of Siri and smart home capabilities, with privacy and security built in. Its seamless integration across Apple’s products and services makes HomePod mini the ultimate smart speaker for anyone with an Apple device. HomePod mini will be available in these new colours, along with white and space grey, with colour-matched details throughout, including the tinted touch surface, mesh fabric, volume icons and woven power cable, starting in November for just RRP A$149 inc. GST.
“HomePod mini sounds incredible, and with access to more than 90 million songs in the global Apple Music catalogue and deep integration with your Apple devices, it’s the must-have smart speaker for iPhone users,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With new vibrant colours, HomePod mini fits in even more places and delivers amazing sound, the power of Siri, and simple and secure smart home controls, all while protecting your privacy.”
Big Sound in a Compact Speaker
HomePod mini uses computational audio to provide a rich and detailed acoustic experience and deliver peak performance. To achieve big sound out of such a compact design, the Apple S5 chip runs advanced software to analyse the unique characteristics of the music. It also applies complex tuning models to optimise loudness, adjust the dynamic range, and control the movement of the driver and passive radiators, all in real time. HomePod mini’s full-range driver, premium neodymium magnet and pair of force-cancelling passive radiators enable it to produce deep bass and crisp high frequencies.
An Apple-designed acoustic waveguide directs the flow of sound down and out the bottom of the speaker for an immersive 360-degree audio experience. This design not only preserves richness and clarity, but makes it easy to place HomePod mini anywhere in a room and enjoy amazing sound from every angle. When placed in multiple rooms, HomePod mini speakers allow users to play the same music throughout the house, all in perfect sync, or a different song in every room. Placing two HomePod mini speakers in the same room creates a stereo pair for an even more immersive experience when listening to music. A three-microphone array listens for “Hey Siri”, and a fourth inward-facing microphone helps cancel out sound coming from the speaker to improve Siri’s ability to hear voice requests when music is playing.
Apple Music Voice on HomePod mini
HomePod mini is designed to work with Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, thousands of radio stations including the award-winning Apple Music 1 station, and radio stations from iHeartRadio and TuneIn.1 Apple Music offers more than 90 million songs, all curated by world-class experts and tastemakers; thousands of curated playlists, including hundreds created specifically for the Apple Music Voice Plan; and more than 25,000 exclusive radio episodes and other original content. With the introduction of this new subscription tier, even more people will have access to this incredible catalogue, hands-free, just by asking Siri.2
Ultimate Smart Speaker for iPhone Users
When listening to music or podcasts, or taking a phone call, users can seamlessly hand off the audio without missing a beat by bringing their iPhone close to HomePod mini. The experience gets more magical with any U1-equipped iPhone — with visual, audible and haptic effects that make it feel like the devices are physically connected as sound flows from one to another. If nothing is playing on HomePod mini, personalised listening suggestions will automatically appear on iPhone when it is near the speaker, and instant controls are available without needing to unlock iPhone.3
Powerful Intelligent Assistant
With the intelligence of Siri, HomePod mini delivers a personalised and deeply integrated experience for iPhone customers. Siri can recognise the voices of up to six different household members, tailor music and podcasts to their preferences, and respond to personal requests, like reading their messages, reminders, notes and calendar appointments, or making and answering phone calls.4 Siri also provides users a personal update for a quick snapshot of their day. Users can ask “Hey Siri, what’s my update?” to hear the latest news, weather, traffic, reminders and calendar appointments with a single request.
Effortless Smart Home Control
HomePod mini makes controlling smart home accessories effortless with simple voice commands for Siri to turn off the lights, lock the doors, set a scene, or control devices at specific times. Users can also get hands-free help by talking directly to various smart home accessories enabled with Siri. By design, Siri-enabled accessories will relay requests through a user’s HomePod mini on the same network, providing the level of privacy customers expect from Apple.
Intercom gives people a quick and easy way to connect at home. Users can send an Intercom message from one HomePod mini to another — whether in a different room, a specific zone or multiple rooms throughout the home — and their voice message will automatically play on the designated HomePod mini. Intercom even works with iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods and CarPlay, so everyone in the household can get Intercom notifications and send Intercom messages from the backyard, on their way home or while out and about.
Designed with Privacy and Security in Mind
Privacy and security are fundamental to the design of Apple hardware, software and services. With HomePod mini, only after “Hey Siri” is recognised locally on the device, or the user activates Siri by touch, will any information be sent to Apple servers. Requests are not associated with the user’s Apple ID, nor is personal information used for Apple’s advertising purposes or sold to other organisations. HomePod mini works with iPhone to complete requests for messages and notes on the device without revealing that information to Apple.
Additional Features
- Expanded multi-user voice recognition: Starting later this year, Siri is expanding support for multi-user voice recognition to all regions where HomePod mini is available so everyone in the home can enjoy music tailored to their taste profile, access their own playlists, use Personal Requests and more.
- Automatic Siri volume: Siri will also automatically adjust the speaking volume on HomePod mini based on the room environment and volume of the user.
- More diverse voice options for Siri: Siri now includes more diverse voice options for English speakers in the US, so users can choose the voice that speaks to them from the start when they set up their device.
- Elevate sound on Apple TV 4K: Users can pair HomePod mini to Apple TV 4K for a powerful sound experience with great range and high fidelity. Using computational audio, HomePod mini constantly analyses the audio and models the performance to deliver crystal-clear dialogue.
- Apple TV controls: Together, Siri and HomePod mini power new ways for users to interact with Apple TV. For example, users can ask Siri to turn on Apple TV, start a show or movie, and control playback.
- Fun sounds: Ask Siri on HomePod mini what various animals, instruments or vehicles sound like and Siri will play a fun, high-fidelity sound.
- New ways to control smart home devices: Siri can control smart home accessories at specific times, so Siri can turn off the lights in 10 minutes or turn on the outdoor lights at sunset.
- Find My: Ask Siri on HomePod mini to help locate a misplaced iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, Apple Watch or AirTag by playing a sound to pinpoint its location.
HomePod mini and the Environment
HomePod mini was designed with the environment in mind and supports Apple’s plans to have net-zero climate impact across the entire business, which includes manufacturing supply chains and all product life cycles, by 2030. HomePod mini utilises 99 per cent recycled rare earth elements, with the neodymium magnet in the speaker driver utilising 100 per cent recycled rare earth elements. The seamless mesh fabric is made with more than 90 per cent recycled plastic, and all of the packaging wood fibres are from responsibly managed forests or recycled sources. HomePod mini is also free of mercury, BFRs, PVC and beryllium.
HomePod mini uses power-efficient components and software that can intelligently power them down during periods of inactivity. For example, through optimised power management features and a high-efficiency power supply, HomePod mini has been designed to be efficient in its Low Power Mode, where the majority of time is spent. HomePod mini consumes 75 per cent less energy than the stringent requirements for ENERGY STAR.
Pricing and Availability
- HomePod mini will be available in yellow, orange and blue, in addition to white and space grey, for RRP A$149 inc. GST from apple.com/au/store, in the Apple Store app and at Apple Store locations.5 HomePod mini will also be available through Apple Authorised Resellers and selected carriers (prices may vary).
- Customers in Australia, Austria, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, the UK and the US can purchase HomePod mini in November.
- HomePod mini is compatible with iPhone SE, iPhone 6s or later, or iPod touch (7th generation) running iOS 15; or iPad Pro, iPad (5th generation or later), iPad Air 2 or later, or iPad mini 4 or later running iPadOS 15.
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- A subscription may be required for music streaming services.
- The new Apple Music Voice Plan will be available later this spring in selected countries and regions for A$5.99 inc. GST per month.
- Requires a U1‑equipped iPhone. Ultra Wideband availability varies by region. A subscription may be required for music streaming services.
- Multi-user features are available in English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and the US. Starting later this year, Siri support for multi-user voice recognition on HomePod mini will expand to additional regions.
- Apple Store services and opening hours are available from apple.com/au/retail.