HomePod mini now available to preorder for $99

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in General Discussion edited November 2020
At the same time as the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max, Apple has opened pre-orders for the HomePod mini, its pint-sized smart speaker, with customers now able to order the $99 smart speaker for delivery starting from November 16.

HomePod mini
HomePod mini


Like the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max launched today, orders were able to be placed since 5am PT, for customers in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, and Spain.

In the case of the HomePod mini, Apple intends for preorders to start arriving starting the week of November 16, a few days later than the being made available at the same time. Availability in China, Mexico, and Taiwan is also anticipated for later in 2020.

Unveiled on October 13, the HomePod Mini is a smaller version of Apple's HomePod smart speaker, one that offers many of the same capabilities but at a smaller size and price point. Rather than $299 for the full-size counterpart, the HomePod mini is $99 (currently discounted to $89.99 for AppleInsider readers).





Measuring 3.3 inches tall and spherical in shape, the HomePod mini is housed in a mesh fabric, in both space gray and white variants. Due to its small size, the device has to use a single full-range dynamic driver and two passive radiators to produce sound, rather than the multi-speaker setup of the HomePod.

Powered by the S5 chip and using complex tuning models for loudness and dynamic range optimization, the speaker also differs in having the U1 chip installed, enabling it to be used for future Ultra-Wideband applications.

While it is primarily meant for Apple Music, the HomePod mini can also be used with various radio stations including iHeartRadio, Radio.com, and TuneIn, with support for Pandora and Amazon Music also inbound before the end of 2020.

While you can set up two HomePod minis as a stereo pair, and use it as part of a multi-room audio setup, it cannot be used as a stereo pair with a HomePod. It is likely due to the mismatch in size and audio quality, among other factors.

Stay on top of all Apple news right from your HomePod or HomePod mini. Say, "Hey, Siri, play AppleInsider Daily," and you'll get a fast update direct from the AppleInsider team.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 18
    notwichrednotwichred Posts: 68member
    I can’t preorder :( says almost there!  Just adding a few finishing touches :(
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 18
    williamlondonwilliamlondon Posts: 1,324member
    Had to click each button 3 or 4 times, but finally got the order through for the space grey, lovely little device, can't wait till it arrives!
    jahbladewatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 18
    KuyangkohKuyangkoh Posts: 838member
    Do it at adorma and get $10 bucks coupon
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 18
    seanjseanj Posts: 318member
    In U.K. still couldn’t order via Apple Store app at 1:20pm. Finally able to place order via website, don’t know if app working yet.
    Not the usual slickness I associate with Apple.
    edited November 2020
  • Reply 5 of 18
    JapheyJaphey Posts: 1,767member
    I can’t wait to hear what you all think of your HomePod Minis. I’ve given Apple enough of my money this year and will wait until January to pick up 1 or 2. I hope you all love them. 
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 18
    usmccopusmccop Posts: 9member
    I had to click a few times on the app to get it through. 
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 18
    EsquireCatsEsquireCats Posts: 1,268member
    Pre-orders are already into delivery next year..
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 18
    JapheyJaphey Posts: 1,767member
    EsquireCats said:
    Pre-orders are already into delivery next year..
    Where are you located? I’m still seeing 11/16 for White and 11/18 for Space Gray in US. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 18
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,284member
    Order placed at 8:12 and free delivery between 11/17 - 11/19.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 18
    EsquireCatsEsquireCats Posts: 1,268member
    Japhey said:
    EsquireCats said:
    Pre-orders are already into delivery next year..
    Where are you located? I’m still seeing 11/16 for White and 11/18 for Space Gray in US. 
    Germany is currently next year, they seem to be the outlier, most countries still seem to have reasonable delivery timings.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 18
    dm3dm3 Posts: 168member
    I tried to order at 8:30am and it said 11/17-11/19, which is later than the 11/16 they had originally said. 
    I debated, looked back a few minutes later and for grey it was out further to as late as 11/22.

    Now saying grey is out to 12/2, but white is 11/19.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 18
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,877member
    Oops I forgot. Delivery is now Dec 2
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 18
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,417member
    Ordered a grey one at 5:30, 11/17-18 although it offered express shipping for 11/16. Looks like I got in just before the dates were starting to slip. App didn’t work to add to my bag, but switched to web and worked right away. ¯\(°_o)/¯ 

    Almost bought two, one for the kitchen and one for the bathroom to replace the two places I use Bluetooth speakers, but figure I’ll try one out first.

    I bet they sell a shit ton of these. 
    edited November 2020 williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 18
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,571member
    High demand is good, but if Tim Cook was a supply chain expert he wouldn't have let it happen that within hours of launch the product was already in a 3 week delay.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 15 of 18
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    So glad I went SONOS.  Nothing about the HomePod or HomePod Min is impressive other than their price.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 16 of 18
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,166member
    While you can set up two HomePod minis as a stereo pair, and use it as part of a multi-room audio setup, it cannot be used as a stereo pair with a HomePod. It is likely due to the mismatch in size and audio quality, among other factors.
    The very idea that someone might want to do this offends me TBH. These are smart speakers, they should know that mismatching speakers is not something you should do. I think it is something that doesn’t need mentioning anymore, unless some idjit thinks it a limitation.
  • Reply 17 of 18
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator
    entropys said:
    While you can set up two HomePod minis as a stereo pair, and use it as part of a multi-room audio setup, it cannot be used as a stereo pair with a HomePod. It is likely due to the mismatch in size and audio quality, among other factors.
    The very idea that someone might want to do this offends me TBH. These are smart speakers, they should know that mismatching speakers is not something you should do. I think it is something that doesn’t need mentioning anymore, unless some idjit thinks it a limitation.
    We get a lot of drive-by traffic on posts like these, folks that may never come back, but see the piece and discover AI as they search Google or whatnot.

    For those folks, it's important.
  • Reply 18 of 18
    winstoner71winstoner71 Posts: 114member
    The third party that AI is doing this deal through sent me an email on 11/8 (I just saw it today), saying they were back ordered. No mention of that when I made the order on the 6th. Can anyone from AI find out what’s going on?? 
Sign In or Register to comment.