Joe Rossignol
It's been more than four years since Apple released the HomePod mini in November 2020, and the wait for a new model may soon be over.
Below, we round up the rumors about the next-generation HomePod mini.
Last week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that a new HomePod mini is coming next year. He said the speaker will feature Apple's own Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combo chip that supports Wi-Fi 6E. It's unclear whether support for the Wi-Fi 6E chip will be included in the new HomePod mini, but if it is, it would provide a faster wireless connection than the current model's Wi-Fi 4 support.
While there are no other rumors yet, likely upgrades for the next HomePod mini include a newer “S” chip, improved audio quality, a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip for lower Handoff latency, and new color options. The current HomePod mini features the S5 chip that debuted in 2019's Apple Watch Series 5.
In addition to the new HomePod mini, Apple is reportedly planning to release an all-new smart home hub as early as March next year. The hub is expected to feature a 6-inch display that can be mounted on a wall or attached to a tabletop base with a speaker, so the device could be similar in some ways to the HomePod mini.
It's unclear whether the next HomePod mini will feature Siri improvements, since unlike the Home Hub, the speaker isn't expected to get Apple Intelligence.
Check out our HomePod mini review for more details.
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