by Apple HomePod Mini is now a real thing after being announced at the October Apple event. The real surprise, if you haven’t been keeping up with the leaks, is it’ll work with multiple services and not just Apple’s own.
HomePod mini delivers an incredibly rich and detailed acoustic experience, using computational audio to deliver peak performance. To achieve big sound out of such a compact design, the Apple S5 chip in HomePod mini works with advanced software to analyze the unique characteristics of the music and apply complex tuning models to optimize loudness, adjust the dynamic range, and control the movement of the driver and passive radiators in real time. The Apple-engineered full-range driver, powered by a neodymium magnet and a pair of force-cancelling passive radiators, enables deep bass and crisp high frequencies.
A “killer feature” is handoff. Sometimes I listen to a Podcast on my phone, move to a different room and longed for an easier way to have it play on my speaker. Sure there’s AirPlay to make this easier but Handoff with make it even easier. From the presentation it looks as simple as bringing your playing device near to the speaker. It’s not known at the moment if this works with iPads or watches.
Apple HomePod Mini InterCom
A new Intercom feature offers a quick and easy way for family members to connect with each other at home. One person can send an Intercom message from one HomePod to another — whether in a different room, a specific zone, or multiple rooms throughout the home — and their voice will automatically play on the designated HomePod speaker. Intercom works with iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, and CarPlay, so everyone in the household can get Intercom notifications and send Intercom messages from the backyard or on their way home.
HomePod Mini Stereo Pairing
It’s clear that Apple wasn’t just focusing on one speaker providing audio for just one room multiple HomePod mini speakers will play in sync across your entire house however when you placed two in the same room they “intelligently become a stereo pair” to deliver enveloping sound. Stereo pairing is possible with Amazon Echo Devices albeit through a manual process
The nearest competitor to this is the All new-echo which kinda looks like a HomePod mini upside down, cheaper and at the time of writing, comes with a Philips Hue bulb to get you into the world of home automation available on October 22nd.
With all that in mind the HomePod mini should justify it’s higher pricer with Handoff and easy stereo pairing providing your already in the Apple ecosystem and of course there’s always a premium to be paid for Apple products.
Apple HomePod is available for ordering on 6th November with deliveries commencing on 16th.
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