Apple’s next big iPhone event is coming up on September 9th, and we’re expecting a wave of new products – the iPhone 17 in multiple flavors, Apple Watch Series 11, AirPods Pro 3… but there have also been rumors of a new HomePod mini 2, and perhaps a new larger HomePod model.
I’ve been a fan of Apple‘s HomePod line-up since the start, thanks to their surprisingly broad soundstage, impressive level of detail, and relatively compact size. The HomePod mini in particular was my desktop speaker setup for a long time, in a stereo pair – I think a pair of these is the best small setup you can get for the price.
But despite how much I like the current HomePod mini, there’s definitely room for improvement – for both it and the larger HomePod 2. Of course, there’s no guarantee that what I want to see and we’ll actually get will have any crossover, and so I’m splitting this article down the middle.
First is what I’m hoping Apple will change, mixing in thoughts about both the HomePod mini and larger HomePod 2; and the second is what it looks more likely that Apple will change, based on rumors and the general direction of the wind.
I should mention here that I’m personally really not sure that new HomePods will appear at this event – to me, it would make sense to wait until the new AI-powered Siri is ready, and release them with that as their big update. That could be at this event, but I think it’s more likely to be closer to Christmas.
What I want to see
1. Rock-solid reliability in music playback
I mentioned above that the HomePod mini was my desktop speaker setup for a long time. It’s not any more, and that’s because over time, they got glitchier and glitchier when playing music.
Streaming over AirPlay from my phone would stutter and delay, and when streaming directly on the speakers, they’d just drop out for a while, and might get stuck with songs on a loop when they came back, when they’re supposed to be playing an on-going mix from an Apple Music station.
I switched to a Sonos Era 100, still mostly used over AirPlay, and that never has any issue – in the same room, on the same wireless network. I found the same happened with HomePod 2 – and neither product started out wobbly. They got worse over time with updates, and would sometimes be better for a while, then slip.
One of the reasons for AirPods’ huge success is that their connectivity is as solid as it gets from the best wireless earbuds, and has been since the start. Trustworthy and reliable – HomePods need to be the same.
2. Bluetooth and wired music input
Having these options would help with the reliability element above, actually – as something to fall back on – but I’ve got them as a separate entry because I want them for their own reasons.
Not every house is 100% Apple, so having Bluetooth for Android and Windows users makes HomePods a lot more attractive overall. We recommend the HomePod mini as the best-sounding small option in our guide to the best wireless speakers, but obviously we have to heavily caveat that since it’s only useful for Apple users.
A way for Android users to activate and connect to it would make it just a great speaker overall, fewer caveats required.
And with the on-going popularity of the best turntables, Apple is missing a trick by having no way to use HomePods as speakers for vinyl – it means they’ll always be ruled out as the main speakers of anyone who’s into, or wants to get back into, the physical media world.
A pair of HomePods – either flavor – could be one of the best-value stereo pairs for anyone with limited space if they were more flexible.
3. A longer cable option
Speaking of flexibility… one of the best quiet changes in the HomePod 2 compared to the original HomePod was the used of a removable standard power cable, so if you needed a longer cord to position it somewhere awkward, you could make that happen.
The HomePod mini uses a USB-C cable for power, but it’s a captive cable, meaning its permanently attached to the speaker. That means you can only go any longer if you buy a USB-C extension cable, which do exist – but it’s still pretty annoying for a conveniently small speaker.
It’s great that you can slip it nearly anywhere in your room in a purely physical sense, but it has to be really close to a USB-C power source. Switch to using a standard USB-C connection where the cable connects to the body too! Give us a cable in the box still, yes – but also make it possible for us to go online and grab a regular 12-foot USB-C for cheap if we want to put the HomePod mini somewhere away from an outlet.
4. Dolby Atmos FlexConnect support
This is a long shot – I definitely don’t expect to see this, but I’d love it. FlexConnect is a smart new technology from Dolby that uses the fact that Dolby Atmos doesn’t require set speaker placements (because the sound exists in a 3D virtual environment, rather than specific five or seven channels that are supposed to be put in particular positions) to give you freedom over where you place the speakers, while still getting something like good surround sound.
It’s perfect for compact homes, or anywhere you just can’t fit a serious sound system. The idea is that you can just put speakers wherever you have space, and the system will map their locations using smart audio recognition tech, and then tune their output to create the best version of surround sound it can using those positions.
In conjunction with the Apple TV 4K, this could be a really nice addition, and would make HomePods a more tempting alternative to a soundbar than they are now, for people who don’t want to deal with another big box near their TV. Here’s our full explainer for Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, and our recent experience with the first commercially available FlexConnect speakers.
What we’re actually expecting
1. More smart home hub capabilities
The HomePod always seemed to be a key part of Apple smart home plans, providing a useful way for you to send commands to smart home tech from anywhere, even if the tech didn’t connect to the internet, with the HomePod acting as a control point.
It’s not really clear how Apple would improve on what the HomePod mini can already do in this regard, but it’s been strongly rumored to be a big part of Apple’s plans.
There are some technical possibilities – including offering more wireless protocols such as Zigbee – but Apple could also add a more useful small screen on top, that could show useful smart home information, such as the current temperature (the current model has temperature and humidity sensors, but you have to ask for the data or view it on another device).
It could even include motion detection or other useful sensors, potentially.
2. Improved sound
As I alluded to before, I think the HomePod mini sounds great even to this day, for such a small speaker. Its output is amazingly full across all frequencies, and it’s pretty damn crisp as well. Personally, I don’t even need its sound to improve – but obviously, I’ll accept it.
I’m sure Apple will have a new speaker driver and audio processor to give it an extra step of depth and detail. I wouldn’t bet on Dolby Atmos support, like the big HomePod, but it’s not impossible.
3. A new processor
The HomePod mini is expected to have a new and more powerful chip inside, based on more recent Apple Watch chips – and this could help open up its capabilities for other sensors. better connectivity, or smarter audio processing.
It may also use Apple’s own modem technology, first seen on the iPhone 16e. Again, the benefits to us aren’t clear yet.
4. More colors
Apple made a smart move introducing funky new colors of the HomePod mini after its launch – it’s expected that a new version would come with some new hues.
Again, there’s very little information about what those would be.
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