How To Get More From Your Apple HomePod Mini and HomePod Original

14 Tricks Apple’s Smart Hi-Fi Speaker Does You Didn’t Know

When Apple’s HomePod was first released in February 2018, users and critics bashed the product for its less than stellar Siri performance. They placed so much emphasis on this that it overshadowed the sonic performance of HomePod. This criticism had the unintended consequence of categorizing HomePod as a “smart speaker,” rather than an audiophile wireless speaker.

This pigeon-hole categorization of HomePod put it square in the crosshairs of the Amazon Echo product line and its Alexa virtual assistant. No wonder critics panned the pricey $299 HomePod for being a “dumb speaker,” referring to the Siri performance gaffs. But Apple designers, engineers, and marketing teams initially intended HomePod to be used to stream music.

When Apple released the HomePod Mini in November 2020, nobody thought the original HomePod was in peril. Unfortunately, in March 2021 Apple discontinued production of the original $299 ($349 on release in 2018) HomePod after four years. Apple says it wishes to focus on the more popular and pleasantly price $99 HomePod Mini, but will continue to support the HomePod and will continue to sell it until supplies run out. And all the tips here will work with both models .No matter, the sound of the Mini is good…