Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman says Apple is not working on a new HomePod mini.
In the latest “Power On” newsletter, Gurman said he doesn’t think Apple is “aggressively” developing a successor to the HomePod mini.
"Apple announced the new HomePod the other day and users are starting to wonder about updates to the mini model. But at this point, I'm not convinced that Apple is actively working on such a product. The latest HomePod doesn't add new features not found in the $99 mini model, so there isn't an obvious reason to update that model. Sure, it would be nice to have more colours, a cheaper price tag, and better sound and microphones, but the real improvements will probably need to come on the back end - with Siri and app integration."
HomePod mini was announced at Apple’s iPhone 12 launch in October 2020. Less than six months later, Apple discontinued the initial HomePod, leaving the HomePod mini as the company’s only smart speaker on sale until Apple relaunched the new, full-sized HomePod this week.
The just-launched HomePod offers a host of features previously reserved for the HomePod mini, including an Apple Watch S-series chip, a U1 ultra-wide chip, Thread support, temperature and humidity sensors, and a larger backlit touchscreen.
Gurman previously broke the news in August 2022 that Apple was considering a new version of the HomePod mini in the future, but he did not provide a specific timeframe or details about potential new features, only that this update was minor, but it now appears that those plans have been put on hold.
