Since launching in November of 2020, Apple’s HomePod mini has made its way into tens of millions of households across the globe. In fact, in the first quarter of 2021 alone, Apple sold nearly 4.5 million HomePod minis. Global sales of the Apple HomePod mini have remained consistent since then, giving no indication that the HomePod mini will become less popular any time soon.
There are many features that the HomePod mini offers that contribute to its market desirability and staggering sale statistics. Of course, brand association here goes a long way. Apple is the world’s most successful technology company, valued at $2 trillion for the year 2021. Apple products are everywhere, and typically, those who have one Apple product are more likely to purchase more Apple products, rather than opting for a new brand. This is because consumers like consistency– they want the whole set.
But what is it about the Apple HomePod mini that makes it worth buying, regardless of the brand name attached to it? In this article, we will go over all the ins and outs of the latest Apple device to help you decide whether or not it is the right product for you.
Before we get ahead of ourselves with specifics and overly-technical language, let’s cover the basics. Simply put, Apple’s HomePod mini is a speaker, in both look and function. It is no bigger than a softball, and weighs just .76 pounds, making it easy to transport and move around and outside of the house. However, it is not wireless, meaning it needs to be plugged into a power source to function.
Like the Amazon Echo or Google Home, the Apple HomePod mini is also much more than just a speaker. This is where it gets a bit more technical. The HomePod mini also offers the following, which we will examine in depth below:
- Wireless 5G Bluetooth audio
- Integration with Siri and Siri shortcuts & web searching
- Ambient sound and white noise
- Device locating for compatible devices
- Music alarms
- Traditional speaker abilities
Of course, there are many more features that the HomePod mini offers, but the ones we will discuss here are considered major selling points for users.
1. Wireless 5G Bluetooth audio
This feature means that you can connect a device with Bluetooth capabilities to the Apple HomePod mini and use the mini as a speaker via Bluetooth for audio that is playing from a device, without having to connect your device to the speaker directly. The Bluetooth range for this speaker (how far away the device can be from the speaker before the wireless connection is broken) is almost 30 feet, although users suggest that connections are strongest between 5 and 15 feet.
2. Integration with Siri and Siri shortcuts
One of the coolest features the HomePod mini offers is the ability to connect to other Apple devices and send search results and information to that device. Using Siri on the HomePod, users can ask the HomePod mini to conduct a web search, and it will send the search results to your compatible Apple device. You can ask it for the weather forecast for your area, to set alarms on your device, to send text messages, set reminders, play music, and more.
3. Ambient sounds and white noise
The HomePod mini is not only useful when it comes to accomplishing daily tasks, it can also aid users with sleeping. The mini comes with a variety of ambient sounds– rain, forest, fireplace, ocean, and more– as well as a white noise option that users can ask the mini to play for the duration of their sleep. After telling Siri on your HomePod mini which sound you would like to hear, tell it to set a sleep timer for a duration of your choosing. After the sleep timer is up, the mini will automatically stop playing the ambient sound you selected. Further, if you do not find an ambient sound that you like within the mini, you can browse more options through Apple Music.
4. Device locating for compatible devices
If you are the kind of person who is constantly misplacing your phone, computer, and other devices, the HomePod mini can help you locate them in a pinch. The only caveat here is that the devices must be Apple products. Further, if you have not turned on the “Find My” feature on your compatible Apple device, the HomePod mini will not be able to find it. To command the mini to locate your device, use a simple Hey Siri command– “Hey Siri, find my Apple watch” – and your Apple watch will begin ringing until you find it.
5. Traditional speaker abilities
As mentioned earlier in this article, the HomePod mini is, in its essence, a speaker. While it may come with so many exciting and fun features that differentiate it from other speakers on the market, its abilities as a speaker and speaker alone should not be overlooked. Despite its size, the mini can play sound at 360 degrees and play it loud enough to fill an entire room. You can use the mini for entertaining, couples cooking projects, as the perfect house-chore companion, and more. Whatever you may be doing, the mini will be there for you to set the mood. Further, if you want to play sound in more space, you can add more minis to your home and they will play the music together, offering a truly comprehensive sound experience.
