Apple's HomePod Mini 2 Speeds Up Siri but Mac Speaker Mode Falters

Apple's second-generation HomePod Mini responds to voice commands and plays music within seconds, a marked speed gain over the original model, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, a senior reviewer at The Verge, reported after setting up two units in her home office. The device went on sale after Apple unveiled it at its Welcome Home event last month, six years after the first HomePod Mini launched in 2020, according to the review.

How much faster is the new HomePod Mini?

Tuohy found that the Mini 2 no longer forces users to "stand over" the speaker waiting for a response, a complaint she had with the original. She attributed the improvement to an internal chip upgrade, though The Verge's hands-on did not specify which processor Apple used or publish benchmark figures. The reviewer described the speed difference as immediately noticeable both for music playback and for smart home commands issued through Siri.

What changed in the design?

Apple added what Tuohy called "color glowy stuff" to the Mini 2's exterior and introduced a green finish she praised as "gorgeous" in the review's subheadline. The Verge also noted the new model runs quieter than its predecessor, though the outlet did not report decibel measurements or a controlled comparison method. Tuohy's initial reaction to the hardware changes, before testing the unit, had been disappointment, she wrote, because the upgrades appeared limited to "a chip bump, some color glowy stuff, and better AirPlay."

Why didn't the Mac speaker feature work?

Apple marketed an upgraded ability to use the HomePod Mini 2 as an output speaker for Mac computers, a feature The Verge's headline flagged as the review's lead disappointment. Tuohy wrote that this Mac speaker function did not work for her during testing, though the published excerpt does not detail the specific failure mode, error messages, or whether she attempted troubleshooting steps. The reviewer characterized this as the one shortfall in an otherwise improved product, calling it an upgrade that "hasn't arrived yet."

What does the HomePod Mini 2 cost compared with the original?

The new speaker sells for $149, Tuohy reported, a $50 increase over the original Mini's $99 launch price in 2020. She noted that Apple did not upgrade the sound system despite the higher price, a point she raised as part of her initial skepticism before hands-on testing shifted her assessment toward a more favorable view of the speed and design gains.

What should buyers watch for next?

The Verge's first-look review did not include independent audio measurements, battery or power-draw data, or a breakdown of Siri response-time figures in seconds beyond the reviewer's qualitative description of "a few seconds." Those specifics, along with a resolution to the Mac speaker issue, were not addressed in the material The Verge has published so far. HTT News could not independently verify the chip change, color options beyond green, or the Mac speaker malfunction, as no second published account of the HomePod Mini 2's performance was available at the time of this report.