Apple's HomePod mini 2 reaches stores at $149, but Siri AI and surround sound come later

Apple's HomePod mini 2 smart speaker reaches stores on Friday, October 30, 2026, the date Apple gave when it opened pre-orders on October 13. It costs $149 in the US and comes in pink, green, blue, white and midnight. Two features Apple highlighted cannot be used yet: Siri AI, its new assistant, comes later through a free software update, and the new four-speaker surround mode needs an Apple TV 4K that will not be in stores until November 13.

The first HomePod mini cost $99 when Apple announced it in October 2020. On October 30, Apple's US store listed two HomePod models: HomePod mini 2 at $149 and HomePod (2nd generation) at $349. Apple introduced the larger speaker at $299 in January 2023.

What changes from the first HomePod mini

The size stays the same, at 3.3 inches high and 3.9 inches wide. Apple says the new model runs on its S10 chip, where the first used the S5, and the spec sheets show newer wireless: Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6, against 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 on the 2020 model. One number goes the other way: Apple lists three microphones for far-field Siri on HomePod mini 2, and four on the first model. New features include Sound Glow, which makes the top of the speaker light up and pulse with the music, and the option to make it the default speaker for a Mac with Wi-Fi 6E or later.

What each feature needs

Siri AI will reach HomePod mini 2 in English in the US, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the UK, Apple says. To use it, the person set up as the home's owner in the Home app needs an iPhone or iPad that supports Apple Intelligence, with Siri AI switched on.

Surround sound takes four HomePod mini 2 or HomePod (2nd generation) speakers in matching front and rear pairs, connected to an Apple TV 4K (4th generation), which Apple sells for $299. At the October 30 prices, that comes to $895 with four HomePod mini 2 speakers, or $1,695 with four HomePod (2nd generation) speakers. A stereo pair needs two speakers of the same model and generation, so a HomePod mini 2 cannot be paired with a first-generation mini. Our comparison of six Sonos and Bose soundbars covers the soundbar route instead.

In the smart home, the speaker works as a home hub for the Home app, and its Thread radio works only with HomeKit- or Matter-enabled Thread accessories, according to Apple. Our Matter guide explains what that means for devices from other brands. Sound Recognition, which listens for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, needs the updated Home architecture, and Apple says it should not be relied on in high-risk or emergency situations.

Before you buy

• If surround sound is the reason to buy, the Apple TV 4K it depends on reaches stores on November 13.
• Apple has not said when the Siri AI update will arrive, only that it is coming later as a free update.
• Apple's system requirements list an iPhone or iPad with the latest software and Wi-Fi internet access.