The updated smart speaker incorporates an S10 processor and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, alongside a top LED panel that displays colors matching current album art. In testing, the new internal components allow the voice assistant to execute commands in under three seconds with fewer verbal interruptions. Despite these hardware and speed enhancements, advanced AI capabilities are absent at launch, forcing complex questions to route directly to an iPhone.
Key points
Anticipated Siri AI capabilities are missing at launch and will arrive in a future softwa…: Anticipated Siri AI capabilities are missing at launch and will arrive in a future software update.
Users can disable touch controls across all HomePod models via a new toggle in the Home a…: Users can disable touch controls across all HomePod models via a new toggle in the Home app.
Complex queries still fail to process locally and redirect users to web results on their…: Complex queries still fail to process locally and redirect users to web results on their iPhones.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
When I first heard about the new $149 HomePod Mini 2 at Apple’s Welcome Home event last month, I was disappointed. It’s been six years since Apple launched its entry-level smart speaker, and all it got in the second gen was a chip bump, some color glowy stuff, and better AirPlay? For $50 more than the original, which launched at $99, Apple didn’t even upgrade the sound system. It felt like the company phoned this one in.
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