Apple HomePod mini review: You can't get more speakers for so little money
A TEST REPORT from David Haydl 
on January 23, 2021, 10:00 am | 🔥 popular | Write a comment
Before Apple launched the Apple HomePod mini officially presented, there were already many rumors about it circulating on the Internet. At some point, many people gave up hope of a launch. Finally, Apple presented the speaker alongside the iPhone 12, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max. And I was able to use it for a few weeksprobeer
A good three years ago, Apple ventured into the world of smart speakers and unveiled the first HomePod. It was designed to be easy to use and offer good sound quality. However, many buyers quickly felt the need for a smaller version. As already mentioned, rumors quickly arose that Apple might be working on such a product. However, there was never a presentation.
In October 2020 the time had finally come. Apple first spoke about the HomePod mini at last year's iPhone keynote. The promise: A loudspeaker that can do the same things as its big sibling, but in a much smaller form factor. It was also asserted that the sound was outstanding despite the smaller size. I was able to take a closer look at how the Apple HomePod mini actually performs.
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Unboxing and initial setup
The packaging of the HomePod mini is practically as small as the device itself. The box is almost square, and Apple printed a picture of the speaker, the product name, logos and some other inscriptions on it. The color of the box is based on the color of the device you chose. If you remove the lid, you will find the speaker itself, an 18-watt power adapter, instructions and an Apple sticker.
The scope of delivery is almost as small as the HomePod. (Picture: TechnikNews)
An iPhone or iPad is required for the initial setup. The setup with a Mac does not work, Android or Windows devices are (of course) excluded from the setup. If you bring one of the two devices close to the HomePod mini, a small pop-up appears for the setup. The first thing to do is to choose the location (bedroom, living room, playroom and a few more options). Once that's done, Siri needs your attention. On the one hand, the Siri language must be specified, on the other hand, "personal inquiries" can be allowed if desired. If this function is active, Siri reads you calendar appointments, reminders, missed calls and the like - as long as the iPhone is nearby. Finally, the consent for the terms of use and the transfer of the Apple ID to the HomePod is missing.
Screenshots: TechnikNews
It is also important that the iCloud keychain is active. If this is not the case, the configuration cannot be completed. I couldn't figure it out at the beginning because iOS and iPadOS do not provide sufficiently clear error descriptions in this case. That could have been done differently.
Design and workmanship
The Apple HomePod mini is offered in two different colors. These are space gray and white. I received the Apple loudspeaker in white.
You can tell at first glance that this is a HomePod. For the design, Apple used the same fabric mesh as its big sibling, which is supposed to protect the drivers from damage from any unwanted objects. In addition, the touchpad was adapted to control the Apple loudspeaker. I will explain in detail later what is possible with this.
There is definitely a resemblance to the large HomePod. (Picture: TechnikNews)
Unlike the HomePod from 2018, the mini is really small. So really small. It's about three-quarters the height of an iPhone 12 mini. The width is approximately the same as the height. In other words: I have roughly medium-sized hands and can almost completely enclose the Apple HomePod mini with them.
But let's come back to the already mentioned control panel in detail. This can be used to control playback once. Gestures for volume up and down, for play and pause and for jumping back and forth have been integrated. Apple also thought of Siri when developing the touchpad. A short hold brings the voice assistant to life. Alternatively, you can also use the well-known "Hey Siri!" I also liked the colored animations. If music or a podcast is playing, the small field appears in white. When you receive a call, it is green and when Siri receives commands it appears in different bright colors.
Picture: TechnikNews
The power cable is firmly connected to the Apple speaker. The smart speaker does not have a battery, which basically forces you to use it in stationary mode. With such a compact speaker, that might not have been a bad thing. But it quickly started up again if you plug it in somewhere else. But you're still tied to an electrical outlet. On the positive side, there is more space for the drivers without a battery. It is also good that the cable is very long, which means that you are quite flexible when it comes to setting it up. Furthermore, it is very robust due to the fact that it is covered with a fabric.
The cable is firmly connected to the Apple HomePod mini. (Picture: TechnikNews)
Siri and AirPlay 2
The interaction with the HomePod happens mainly through Siri, Apple's voice assistant. On the one hand, they are trained in general questions such as “How will the weather be today?” And “What’s going to be on TV on prime time on Friday?”. Personally, I think that the Google Assistant is even better suited for this. On the one hand, the answers come faster with Google, on the other hand, the assistant finds more accurate answers to follow-up questions.
Siri is also responsible for controlling smart home devices, which happens through the HomeKit interface. So before anything can be checked, the devices must first be stored in the home app. With simple commands like “Hey Siri! Turn on the light! ”Or“ Hey Siri! Adjust the temperature of the heating to 22 degrees! ”Interventions are then carried out.
Last year Apple also introduced intercom. With this feature, small voice messages can be played via Siri or the Home app on one or more HomePods. I tested this on the local network and the whole thing worked surprisingly quickly and well. One disadvantage, however, is that messages are lost if they are not heard immediately.
Siri can also be used to interact with Apple Music and Apple Podcasts. Supported actions include starting playback, asking what the current song is called, and fast-forwarding and rewinding. Alternatively, AirPlay 2 is available for control. More on that later.
A total of four microphones have been integrated for conversations with the voice assistant. They are installed around the speaker, which means that commands from any direction are received without any problems. In addition, Siri recognizes the code word even when the music is very loud and then turns it down accordingly. The four microphones also enable you to make phone calls via the Apple HomePod mini. However, the iPhone must be nearby. During my test phase, I was always clearly audible to the person I was speaking to. Even when I moved further away, the person I was talking to still understood me without any problems.
As some of you may have already figured out, Siri can only give commands to Apple Music and Apple Podcasts. Third-party apps therefore have to use AirPlay 2, which is the Chromecast counterpart from Cupertino. To use AirPlay 2, you have to have an iPhone, iPad or Mac on the same network as the small HomePod. Then playback can be quickly and easily stopped using the associated menu. In my test, I never noticed a crash or a dropout. The best thing about the whole thing is that the HomePod mini can also communicate with products from other manufacturers thanks to AirPlay 2.
I'm less enthusiastic about the well-advertised handoff feature. In theory, thanks to this, it should be possible to hold an iPhone to the HomePod mini and then continue the music or podcast there. The whole thing should also work the other way round. That worked out quite well in the first few days after unboxing, but then somehow not anymore. No matter how I approached the speaker with the iPhone, it was no longer recognized. The icing on the cake was that I just put my iPhone on the desk and the playback was unintentionally pulled back from the HomePod to the phone. When I wanted to reverse the step, of course, nothing happened again.
sound quality
A few things to say right away: Despite having read a few published speaker tests, I am not an audio expert by any stretch of the imagination. I also want to say right at the start of this section that you should not expect a miracle in sound given the size of the HomePod mini. Because of the limited space, the drivers cannot be as large as in other products. Nevertheless, I think that Apple got the most out of the mini in terms of sound.
A normal consumer will in any case quickly learn to love it. The small speaker can get very loud without noticeably distorting the sound. In addition, the bass is very powerful but (mostly) not too much and the sound is generally very clear and pleasant. However, after a closer listen, I noticed a few things:
- High notes can get lost in some songs. I noticed that especially in some places in Invitation (feat.Yade Lauren) by Yellow Claw.
- Voices and instruments always come into their own very clearly. This is particularly noticeable with podcasts, but also very well with exile (feat. Bon Iver) by Taylor Swift.
- Why I put “mostly” in brackets above becomes clear when I hear from WTF Do I know by Miley Cyrus clear. In the first few seconds, the bass is simply too noticeable, so that the guitar tones are trumped.
Apple also talks a lot about “computational audio”. In other words, the drivers adapt their output to various environmental factors with the help of artificial intelligence. But I can't really say how effective that is. But I can very well confirm that the 360-degree arrangement of the drivers is very effective. As a result, the music is sent out in all directions, which means that you are very flexible when it comes to placing it on shelves or tables - the music always sounds the same.
The sound can be improved by switching on a second HomePod in stereo mode. This divides the playback into a right and left audio channel and larger rooms can be covered with music. But how this works in everyday life I was unable to test because of the lack of hardware. I just think it's a shame that it is not possible to pair a small and a large HomePod.
Prices and availability
The Apple HomePod mini costs 99 euros (RRP) and is available from Apple, MediaMarkt and others. Unfortunately it is not offered in Austria. And an import is associated with additional costs.
Picture: TechnikNews
Apple HomePod mini: conclusion
The Apple HomePod mini is a top product for the low price. You get a high-quality design, sound quality that will be more than enough for most people, and inexpensive smart home control. However, not everything is perfect, and there is definitely room for improvement. I would definitely like better integration of the Mac and a slightly quicker and faster Siri. A more reliable music handoff would also not be bad.
So: to buy or not to buy? That depends on two factors. Firstly, it is crucial whether you have high demands on sound. If so: steer clear! Otherwise, you can't go too wrong. Then you should also be aware that the HomePod is an Apple product and therefore only works with other products from California. If you have an Android smartphone or a Windows PC, you should get out of here as quickly as possible.