HomePod mini 2: the cheapest way to get an Apple home hub

HomePod mini 2 is a small speaker and a home hub. At £149 it is the cheapest Apple device that does the hub job, and for most homes the hub job is the reason to buy one. Apple’s UK release date is 30 October 2026.

What it does in Apple Home

When you set it up, HomePod mini 2 is added to the Home app and becomes a home hub. Apple says it lets you “control your HomeKit- and Matter-enabled accessories remotely”.

• Remote access. Control HomeKit and Matter accessories from the Home app when you are away, for example to see the front door, shut the garage or lock the house.
• Thread. The specifications list “Thread networking technology”, for HomeKit- or Matter-enabled Thread accessories.
• Sensor. A built-in temperature and humidity sensor. You can check the readings at any time or use them to run automations.
• Alarm sounds. It listens for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and sends a critical alert to your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch. Apple says Sound Recognition requires the updated Home architecture, a separate update in the Home app, and that every Apple device that accesses the home must use the latest software.
• Cameras. With HomeKit Secure Video, it can analyse the feeds of supported cameras. See HomeKit Secure Video explained.

Siri AI

Apple says Siri AI will come to HomePod mini 2 in English, including in the UK, “via a future software update”. It is not there at launch. Apple also says Siri AI needs the owner of the home to have an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad with Siri AI turned on.

Specifications

The S10 chip, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6, Thread and an Ultra Wideband chip. Three microphones for far-field Siri. It is 84.3mm high and weighs 335g, and a 20W power adapter is in the box. Colours: white, pink, green, blue and midnight. Setup needs an iPhone or iPad with the latest iOS or iPadOS.

Who should buy it

Anyone who has no home hub yet. If nothing in the Home app works when you leave the house, this is the fix, and it costs less than any other Apple hub.

How it differs from the other Apple hubs

HomePod (2nd generation) is the larger speaker at £349. It has the same temperature and humidity sensor, Thread and the Ultra Wideband chip, and adds an accelerometer. Buy it for sound, not for smart home features.

Apple HomeView at £299 adds a 7-inch screen, a camera and Siri AI in UK English at launch as a beta. Buy it if you want a control panel on the wall or the worktop.

The first HomePod mini is no longer sold by Apple. HomePod mini 2 replaces it.

Apple lists “Multi-room audio with AirPlay” for HomePod mini 2. Keep this separate from the hub role: AirPlay is how audio reaches the speaker, and it is not what makes a device a HomeKit hub.

Specifications