Apple announces HomePod mini 2: Siri AI, new colors, Sound Glow, more

Apple announced the HomePod mini 2 smart speaker on October 13, 2026. It keeps the original HomePod mini design, replaces the S5 chip with a new S10 chip, and adds Siri AI and Sound Glow. 9to5Mac's report says Apple announced the speaker the same day as the HomeView smart display and the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K. Pre-orders opened that day for an October 30, 2026 launch at $149. Apple says it will run "HomePod software 27.2." Siri AI comes in a future software update and may not be available at launch.

This piece covers the colors, the S10 chip, Siri AI on the latest generation of Apple Foundation Models, Sound Glow, and the home theater layout with the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K. It is for owners of the original HomePod mini, released in November 2020 at $99 and raised to $129 earlier this year, and for anyone pairing a speaker with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad or a full-size HomePod 2.

Apple HomePod mini 2: the announcement

Apple opened HomePod mini 2 pre-orders on October 13, 2026, the day it also announced the HomeView smart display and the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K. The speaker keeps the original HomePod mini design. Colors are green, pink, blue, midnight, and white, mixing refreshed and returning options. A new S10 chip replaces the S5 to deliver the new features and experiences. The price is $149. The first HomePod mini was released in November 2020 at $99, then moved to $129 earlier this year.

Apple says the speaker will run "HomePod software 27.2" and will work with Siri AI, the upgraded assistant that debuted with iOS 27. Apple also says Siri AI arrives in a future software update, which suggests it may not be available at the October 30 launch. The new S10 chip, the five colors, and Sound Glow are the hardware tied to that launch. Siri AI is the piece Apple has placed on the later update rather than on software 27.2.

What actually changed with Apple HomePod mini 2

HomePod mini 2 uses the same design as the original HomePod mini. Apple replaced the S5 chip with the Apple S10 chip and advanced computational audio that analyzes music in real time to optimize dynamic range, loudness, and acoustic performance. The speaker still makes rich 360-degree sound from a compact footprint, alone, in a stereo pair, or in a multiroom setup. Sound Glow is the new hardware on this model, and the S10 chip delivers the new features and experiences.

Sound Glow turns the top of HomePod mini into a visual canvas that glows and pulses in sync with the music, reacting in real time to bass and treble. Now Playing album artwork generates a color-matched light experience unique to every song. A soundscape such as rain triggers bespoke animations for a soothing atmosphere. Siri AI uses an entirely new architecture built on the latest generation of Apple Foundation Models. Paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad, HomePod mini can tap into personal context in the moment.

Who should care about Apple HomePod mini 2

Owners of the original HomePod mini are looking at a higher price for the same design. That speaker launched in November 2020 at $99, and Apple raised it to $129 earlier this year. HomePod mini 2 costs $149 and replaces the S5 chip with an S10. Sound Glow is new. Siri AI is a future software update, while Apple names HomePod software 27.2 for the speaker. Stereo pairing, multiroom audio, and rich 360-degree sound from a compact footprint were already on the older mini.

Rooms adding the new Apple TV 4K are the other group. Apple says a pair of HomePod mini 2 speakers and a pair of full-size HomePod 2 speakers can create a home theater with the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K. For the first time, users can build a four-speaker surround sound experience with Apple TV 4K (4th generation) and HomePod mini 2. The four speakers and the Apple TV 4K recognize each position and calibrate audio timing and levels to the room. Personal context needs an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad.

How to try Apple HomePod mini 2

Pre-orders began on October 13, 2026. The launch is October 30, the price is $149, and the colors are green, pink, blue, midnight, and white. Apple says HomePod mini 2 runs "HomePod software 27.2." Siri AI waits for a future software update and may not be available at launch. Listening uses the S10 and advanced computational audio: rich 360-degree sound, as a single unit, a stereo pair, or multiroom audio, with real-time adjustments to dynamic range, loudness, and acoustic performance.

Personal context needs an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad. HomePod mini can then use that context through Siri AI and the latest Apple Foundation Models. The theater setup needs the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K, two HomePod mini 2 speakers, and two full-size HomePod 2 speakers. Sound Glow tracks bass and treble from the top, takes color from Now Playing album art, and can animate a soundscape such as rain. The four speakers and the Apple TV 4K recognize each position and set timing and levels.

What to watch after Apple HomePod mini 2

October 30, 2026, is the on-sale date, after pre-orders opened on October 13, 2026, at $149. The speaker is set to run "HomePod software 27.2." Siri AI, the assistant that debuted with iOS 27, comes later, on an entirely new architecture built on the latest generation of Apple Foundation Models. Personal context still needs an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad. Apple says the Siri AI update is still in the future, so the assistant may not be available at launch.

HomeView, the new smart display, and the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K were announced with the speaker. A pair of HomePod mini 2 speakers and a pair of full-size HomePod 2 speakers can form a home theater with that Apple TV 4K. Apple also describes a first-time four-speaker surround layout that recognizes each position and calibrates timing and levels. The original mini cost $99 in November 2020 and $129 earlier this year. HomePod mini 2 is $149. Sound Glow, the S10 chip, and the five colors are available at launch.