Apple Inc. created the HomePod, a smart speaker. The Apple Music subscription service was built to function with the HomePod.
The first HomePod was unveiled at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 5, 2017. Its release was rescheduled from December 2017 until early 2018.
It comes in two colors: white and space grey and features beamforming and eight speakers. The HomePod received mixed reviews, with praise for its design and sound quality in comparison to other speakers in its price range and criticism for its lack of third-party support and high price in comparison to other smart speakers. Furthermore, the silicone base on the device's bottom was discovered to infrequently damage wooden surfaces.
The HomePod had sold between 1 and 3 million copies as of August 2018. On March 12, 2021, it was replaced by the smaller, shaped sphere-designed and less priced HomePod mini, which was released on November 16, 2020.
In a statement, Apple said "HomePod mini has been a hit since its debut last fall, offering customers amazing sound, an intelligent assistant, and smart home control all for just $99. We are focusing our efforts on HomePod mini. We are discontinuing the original HomePod, it will continue to be available while supplies last through the Apple Online Store, Apple Retail Stores, and Apple Authorized Resellers. Apple will provide HomePod customers with software updates and service and support through Apple Care."
The HomePod mini is built on Apple's S5 chipset and comes in the same package like the Apple Watch Series 5 and SE. It improves Continuity and Handoff integration, allows Siri to recognize up to six different people's voices and personalize responses for each of them, and adds the Intercom feature — which is also available on iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches — which allows users with multiple HomePods to communicate with each other in different rooms.
802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, and an ultra-wideband chip for device proximity and Airplay Handoff are all included in the HomePod mini's wireless capabilities. The Thread network protocol, which is supported by the Connected Home over IP working group, is supported. It comes with a 20W power adapter and a non-detachable USB-C connector.
It works with iOS 14 and later, as well as iPadOS 14 and later. The Apple TV can now use the HomePod mini as a speaker, supporting a stereo pair, thanks to the tvOS 15.
Apple announced on October 18, 2021, that blue, orange, and yellow versions would be added to the existing grey and white choices. The new colors have a tinted touch display that is a lighter shade of the body color, as well as a braided cable that matches.
Apple has to unveil three additional colors for the HomePod mini at the “Unleashed” event, featuring new Yellow, Orange, and Blue in addition to White and…
Apple has to unveil three additional colors for the HomePod mini at the “Unleashed” event, featuring new Yellow, Orange, and Blue in addition to White and…