Apple is n’t presently function on a novel reading of the HomePod miniskirt , accord to Bloomberg newsman Mark Gurman , who direct the thing in thelatest installmentof his Power On newssheet .
“ At this peak , ” Gurman write , “ I do n’t conceive that Apple is actively working on such a Cartesian product . The later HomePod does n’t include any major new functions that are n’t already in the $ 99 miniskirt , so there is n’t an obvious cause to update the manikin . Sure , it would be squeamish to get more colors , a cheesy Leontyne Price , and easily sound and microphones , but the real improvement probably involve to be made on the back end – with Siri and app consolidation . ”
The call comes as something of a surprise , given that , as Gurman mentioned , Apple launch asecond - gen editionof the full - sizing HomePod last calendar week . Most learned person agree that the HomePod miniskirt is a more successful product than its larger sibling , which was discontinue in 2021 follow unsatisfying sales event ; if Apple is prepared to roll the dice on a heir to one , it ’s odd that it would n’t do the same for the other . It ’s not like the HomePod mini is young , either . Launched in November 2020 , it ’s already well over two long time sometime .
The payoff of the full - size HomePod , against all seeming commercial system of logic , is understood to be part of a Modern strategy by Apple toprioritize the chic home , with multiple wise displays and an update Apple TV reportedly on their way . In that circumstance , it ’s even more peculiar that the company would prefer to drop its mini bright loudspeaker system , which is perfectly suited to multi - room setups .
But it does seem that this particular dictum , unlike many of Gurman ’s prevision , is based on his own deductions and deficiency of “ cackle ” rather than insider sources . Gurman suppose the comparative lack of operational upgrades in the second - gen HomePod means there ’s no rationality to update the smaller poser : even the addition that it did get , such as Thread support and an Ultra Wideband poker chip , were already in the mini . ( The miniskirt does n’t currently have the new Sound Recognition feature on its specs shroud , bear in mind you , although it is n’t open if this could be added retrospectively through a software update . )
It may also be true that an updated mini would risk outshine the raw full - size model thanks to its far lower terms shred and improved portability . It pass water sense that Apple would take attack for some months so that the HomePod 2 gets a right chance to budge some unit . We lie with from the AirPods that Apple is felicitous to leave behind even very remunerative audio products unrefreshed for longer periods than its iPhones , Macs , and iPads .
Beyond the new HomePod ’s honeymoon geological period , however , Apple must for sure be reckon about a second effort at the miniskirt . We might have to wait until 2024 , but we ’d be very surprised if we do n’t see a secondly - gen mini at some point .
