HomePod mini is perhaps the most inconspicuous gadget of the entire Apple line. Looking at him, you will never think that the company is pinning any hopes on him. It is too small, cheap and low-tech. Especially when compared to the original speaker that Apple released in 2017. However, those who think so are greatly mistaken, because Cupertino has big plans for the HomePod mini. After all, it was for the sake of the compact version that a large model was removed from sale, which, although superior to the new product in sound quality, was clearly inferior to it in terms of development prospects.
HomePod mini is equipped with a set of temperature and humidity sensors that can determine the microclimate in the room in which the speaker is located. Bloomberg learned about this from Apple suppliers, and then from TechInsights engineers, who disassembled the smart gadget. Most likely, according to sources in the supply chain, Cupertino equipped the speaker with these sensors but did not turn them on immediately, for the future. This will allow Apple to release an update in the future that will add new features to the HomePod mini, without the need for a hardware upgrade or new model release.
Why HomePod mini is better than regular HomePod
In addition to being a head start for the future of the HomePod mini, which is more common for Apple, they point to another aspect. Obviously, Cupertino has come to understand that just a musical device is not what users want to see. Therefore, the company decided to return to the concept of a smart speaker as a device that allows you to control a smart home. But for this, it is not enough just to teach Siri to perceive commands to activate certain gadgets.
Why do you need a HomePod mini speaker?
It is important to make sure that the column either facilitates or – best of all – automates regular processes. Independent control of devices responsible for the indoor climate is just right for this role. After all, it is much better to have a device that can track that it is getting cold at home and send a command to the thermostat to raise the temperature than to do it yourself. And, if, on the contrary, it became hot, then give a command to the air conditioner, which would start more efficient airflow at low temperatures.
What follows from this? Obviously Apple didn’t just shut down production of the large version of the HomePod for a reason. Now – at least for a while – music for the company will be limited only to branded headphones, the range of which is quite wide. And the column in the first place will be precisely that smart device, and not the speaker as such. If Cupertino had a different opinion, no one would have taken the original column off the market, but simply reissued it. But since there were fewer music lovers among Apple users than geeks, it was decided to focus on the latter.
