HomePod mini 2 can become the Mac’s default speaker
HomePods can already play music, but not system sounds. With the HomePod mini 2, Apple is finally adding that capability.
Two HomePod mini 2 speakers connected to an iMac M4.
(Image: Apple)
Mac users with Apple speakers have a new feature to look forward to with the HomePod mini 2: Apple will let them use the compact smart speakers as their Mac’s default audio output. This fulfills a long-standing request. HomePods (the original model, the HomePod 2 and the HomePod mini 1) have always been available for tasks such as playing music in Apple Music (formerly iTunes), but system sounds always came through the Mac’s built-in speaker. “The HomePod mini 2 can be used as the default speaker for Mac, delivering great audio for everything from movies to FaceTime calls,” Apple writes in its announcement of the device, which goes on sale in late October.
No longer just over AirPlay
The old option of connecting to HomePods via AirPlay — which can cause latency — is likely to remain. But now, the Mac’s audio output can be “rerouted” in System Settings. At least a stereo pair will be supported; it’s still unclear whether surround sound will also be available. Until now, it was assumed this would work only with the Apple TV 4K 2026. To use HomePod mini 2 speakers as the default speakers, the Mac must support at least Wi-Fi 6E. Apple lists the supported devices in a support document.
Videos by heise
Fortunately, support doesn’t appear to be limited to the HomePod mini 2: A footnote on the HomePod mini 2 page says the second-generation HomePod will also get the feature. Here too, Wi-Fi 6E or later is required. The necessary software updates are expected to arrive by the end of the month.
Six years without an update
The HomePod mini 2 goes on sale Oct. 30 and will cost €169. It features a significantly faster S10 chip. In English-speaking countries, the hardware will work with Siri AI for the first time.
Apple launched the HomePod mini in 2020 and has left it unchanged apart from introducing new colors. Users who rely on it as the home hub for a HomeKit smart home (“Home Hub”) hope the improved processing power will also make it more stable.
Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt
Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier ein externer Preisvergleich (heise Preisvergleich) geladen.
Ich bin damit einverstanden, dass mir externe Inhalte angezeigt werden. Damit können personenbezogene Daten an Drittplattformen (heise Preisvergleich) übermittelt werden. Mehr dazu in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.
(bsc)
