Apple Reportedly Scrapping Plans for New HomePod Mini

Apple is reportedly not working on a new HomePod mini, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

In his Power On newsletter(Opens in a new window), the tech reporter said that despite Apple rolling out the latest installment of the larger-sized HomePod the company is not “actively working” on a new HomePod mini and may have scrapped plans to update the current version, released in 2020.

The reason, Gurman states, is likely due to the fact that last week’s release of the second-gen HomePod does not include anything that the $99 mini doesn’t already have, “so there isn’t an obvious reason to update the model.”

Gurman says that instead of working on an entirely new hardware release for the mini, Apple is likely to improve it by releasing software updates to Siri and app integration. The company already recently topped up the HomePod mini’s software so that it can check temperature and humidity via a built-in sensor that had previously not been activated. 

The updated larger version HomePod, released last week, borrowed features that already existed on the HomePod mini such as ultra-wideband support and Thread connectivity.  

That model costs $299, and it trades an iPhone chip for an Apple Watch one and boasts an updated media panel and sensors for checking a room’s temperature and humidity. The sensors, which are paired with Siri automation, can control smart home devices to “close the blinds or turn on the fan automatically when a certain temperature is reached in a room,” Apple said(Opens in a new window) on its release.

Despite not working on an update for the mini, Apple is still set on expanding its foray into the smart-home market. Last week, Gurman reported(Opens in a new window) that Apple was working on a slew of smart-home devices, including new displays such as a “low-end iPad” that can control thermostats and lights as well as handle FaceTime calls.

The lack of movement toward making a new HomePod mini could also be down to the fact that Apple has reportedly(Opens in a new window) been working on a smart display that unites the functionality of an Apple TV, camera, and HomePod, all in one device.