Ming-Chi Kuo doesn’t have an impeccable record of getting his rumors right, but don’t underestimate him. He was right when he said eight months ago that we were going to see a new HomePod within a year, and he has been right several more times. And now the analyst affirms that the HomePod mini is going to be renewed.
The data has appeared in a short thread from his Twitter account: Goertek would be the supplier for the components of that ‘HomePod mini 2’, which would begin to be mass-produced in the spring of 2024.
A new attempt to conquer the audio of our home
The arrival of that HomePod mini, along with the new HomePod 2, would seek to stand up to Amazon’s Echo speakers that currently dominate the market. Apple’s weapons: Siri, its privacy superior to that of Alexa and the sound quality of HomePods.
On those dates it would also be used to launch a new generation of AirPods Max and low-cost AirPods, as other sources have leaked in the past. At the latest, if there are delays, they would arrive in the first half of 2025.
That would also help boost the aftermarket, especially with those cheaper AirPods. There are no clues about the improvements they would bring, although I quite agree with those listed in MacRumors: USB-C port to avoid problems with the European Union, and precision search functions for AirPods Max 2. As secondary points we could have new colors.
Image | Omid Armin