Apple may silently have discontinued the HomePod mini. The mini smart speaker is out of stock across several retailers in the US.
Apple’s own store lists the speaker for next-day delivery or pickup across most pin codes, though.
HomePod mini 2 to debut soon?
Apple launched the HomePod mini on November 16, 2020. As its fifth anniversary approaches, the company appears to have quietly discontinued it while preparing for its successor.
Some rumors suggested the HomePod mini 2 could go official alongside the iPhone 17 series at Apple’s “Awe Dropping event. While that didn’t happen, the rumor mill believes the speaker could drop this year itself — ahead of the important holiday shopping season.
MacRumors spotted B&H listing the HomePod mini as “No longer available.” While this could have been an error on B&H’s part, other retailers like Adorama, Target and Walmart also have limited or no stocks.
This indicates that a HomePod mini 2 refresh might just be around the corner. It may even go official as soon as this week.
HomePod mini 2 could fail to impress without smarter Siri
The rumor mill hasn’t revealed much about the HomePod mini 2. But it’s safe to assume it will come with audio upgrades. Apple may even equip the speaker with its in-house N1 wireless chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Thread support.
A faster chip is also a given, especially since the current HomePod mini uses an ancient S5 SoC from 2019.
Don’t expect the HomePod mini 2 to bring a radically smarter experience, though. That will only arrive with iOS 26.4 and the new AI-powered Siri that should arrive in Q1 or early Q2 next year.
It will be odd for Apple to launch the HomePod mini 2 without smarter Siri out of the box since it forms an integral part of the experience.
Despite all the upgrades, the HomePod mini 2 should retain the same $99 price as the current model.
Apple might retire HomePod mini soon
