Apple Speakers 2026: Full HomePod Lineup & What's Coming Next

Apple sells exactly two speakers in August 2026: the HomePod (2nd generation) at $349 and the HomePod mini at $129. Both went up in price in June 2026, and both are running old hardware — the mini is still the October 2020 original, nearly six years old. Put simply: a HomePod mini 2 is expected in September or October 2026, timed to land with the rebuilt Siri in iOS 27. MacRumors currently rates the HomePod mini "Don't Buy — Updates Coming." If you want a small Apple speaker, waiting a few weeks is the sensible call. If you want the big one, the full-size HomePod is a genuinely excellent music speaker — the question is only what you pay for it. This guide covers the full 2026 lineup, exact specs, what's actually coming, and honest buying advice for each model.

Apple's Speaker Lineup: August 2026

Model	Apple price	Released	Chip	Status
HomePod (2nd gen)	$349 (was $299)	Feb 2023	S7 (2021)	Current — successor planned
HomePod mini	$129 (was $99)	Oct 2020	S5 (2019)	Replacement imminent

Both prices rose on 25 June 2026 as part of Apple's memory-shortage increases — the HomePod by $50 and the mini by $30. The mini's +30.3% was the largest percentage increase of any Apple product in that round, which is awkward for a six-year-old speaker containing very little memory.

What's Coming: HomePod mini 2

This is the single most important thing to know before buying. A second-generation HomePod mini is expected in September or October 2026. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported the hardware had been finished for months and was already in employee testing — Apple has been waiting on the rebuilt Siri, which arrives with iOS 27. Expected changes (rumour, not confirmed by Apple):

Faster chip — S9 or newer, replacing the 2019-era S5
Apple's N1 wireless chip with Wi-Fi 7 and updated Thread radio
Improved audio tuning
New colours — red and sage green have both been mentioned
Same design — the spherical mesh shape carries over
Price expected to hold around the current tier

The strategic reason for the wait is straightforward: Apple wants the new mini to ship with the new Siri so buyers get the full experience on day one, rather than launching hardware into the old assistant.

The bigger question: will today's HomePods get the new Siri?

Almost certainly not, and this is the honest reason to think twice about buying either model at full price right now. Siri AI needs substantial processing power and memory. The current HomePod runs a 2021 S7; the mini runs a 2019 S5. Apple Intelligence requires roughly 8GB of RAM on other devices — a HomePod mini is estimated to have a small fraction of that. Apple has never mentioned HomePod in its Apple Intelligence materials, and both HomePod and Apple TV were absent from the WWDC 2026 keynote. To be precise: Apple has not said this outright. It's a strong inference from the silicon and Apple's conspicuous silence, not a confirmed fact. Today's HomePods will keep receiving normal software updates and will keep working — they just look unlikely to get the assistant everything else is getting.

HomePod (2nd Generation): Full Specifications

Specification	HomePod (2nd gen)
Dimensions / weight	5.6 in wide × 6.6 in high (142 × 168 mm) · 5.16 lb (2.3 kg)
Woofer	4-inch high-excursion, 20 mm diaphragm travel
Tweeters	Five, horn-loaded, beamforming array
Microphones	Four far-field + one internal calibration mic
Chip	S7 (from Apple Watch Series 7)
Room sensing	Yes — adapts to wall vs freestanding placement
Spatial Audio	Dolby Atmos (video requires Apple TV 4K)
Wi-Fi	802.11n (Wi-Fi 4)
Bluetooth	5.0 — no Bluetooth audio streaming
Thread / Matter	Yes — full border router and home hub
Sensors	Temperature, humidity, accelerometer
Colours	White, Midnight

HomePod mini: Full Specifications

Specification	HomePod mini
Dimensions / weight	3.3 in high × 3.9 in wide (84.3 × 97.9 mm) · 0.76 lb (345 g)
Drivers	Single full-range driver + dual passive radiators
Chip	S5 (2019)
Room sensing / Atmos	No
Thread / Matter hub	Yes — identical to the full-size
Temperature / humidity	Yes — identical to the full-size
Colours	White, Yellow, Orange, Blue, Midnight
In the box	20W power adapter (the full-size doesn't include one)

The key insight for buyers: the mini has identical smart-home capability — same Thread and Matter hub, same temperature and humidity sensors, same Sound Recognition. You pay the difference purely for sound quality. If you want a hub, the mini does everything the big one does.

How They Sound: Professional Verdicts

Publication	Score	Verdict on the full-size HomePod
What Hi-Fi?	5/5	"An irresistible choice if you're an Apple user"
Engadget	84/100	"Stellar sound quality… can over emphasize vocals"
CNET	8/10	"Sounds great, but its high price and Apple-centric features exclude too many"
TechRadar	4/5	"Rich sound, but doesn't fix the original's problems"
The Verge	7/10	"Better all around… but Apple played it too safe"
DXOMARK	113 (39th)	"Very weak midrange… dynamic performance was poor"
Wirecutter	Top pick	"Best smart speaker for music"

The measured numbers are worth knowing, because they complicate the marketing. Wirecutter's lab found the HomePod maxes at 87.2 dB against the Echo Studio's 94.1 dB, and produces 71.5 dB of bass output against the Echo Studio's 82.0 dB. Wirecutter's comment: "This is a big difference."

The weaknesses Apple doesn't advertise

No Bluetooth audio, no line-in — ever. Neither generation has had an aux input. AirPlay 2 only, so a guest with an Android phone simply cannot play music on it.
A single HomePod downmixes stereo to mono. The experience reviewers recommend is a stereo pair — at Apple's price that's $698.
No EQ. It ignores the EQ you set for Apple Music on your iPhone.
Siri can't set Spotify as default. You can AirPlay Spotify; you can't voice-request it.
Wi-Fi 4 in 2026. Actually a downgrade from the 1st-generation HomePod's Wi-Fi 5.
It stains wood furniture. Tom's Guide published a correction confirming the 2nd gen does this like the original. Use a coaster.

How Apple Compares to Sonos, Amazon and Google

Speaker	Price (Aug 2026)	Notes
Apple HomePod (2nd gen)	$349 (rose)	Best-in-class for Apple Music; Thread/Matter hub
Apple HomePod mini	$129 (rose)	Six-year-old hardware; replacement imminent
Sonos Era 100	$219 (cut from $249)	Bluetooth, line-in, EQ — and supports AirPlay 2
Sonos Era 300	$479	Beats HomePod on spatial audio
Amazon Echo Studio (2nd gen)	$219.99	Louder, far more bass output
Google Home Speaker	$99.99	Replaced Nest Audio

The competitive picture moved against Apple this year: Apple raised the HomePod to $349 while Sonos cut the Era 100 to $219. The gap went from $50 at launch to $130. And because every Sonos speaker supports AirPlay 2, an Apple user can buy one, AirPlay to it, and control it from the Home app — losing on-speaker "Hey Siri" but gaining Bluetooth, line-in and EQ.

So Which Apple Speaker Should You Buy?

HomePod mini — wait. A replacement is expected within weeks, on a chip that's seven years newer, likely at a similar price. MacRumors rates the current one "Don't Buy." Unless you need a Matter hub today, waiting is clearly right. HomePod (2nd gen) — depends on price. A successor is planned but has no leaked specs and no "ready" signal, so it's further out than the mini. What Hi-Fi still rates it 5/5 and Wirecutter still calls it the best smart speaker for music. Most of the case against it is really a case against $349.

What we charge

AppleCryptos sells genuine, sealed, warrantied Apple speakers, payable in Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, Monero and 50+ cryptocurrencies, with free tracked worldwide shipping:

Product	Apple	AppleCryptos	You save
HomePod (2nd gen), White	$349	$259	$90
HomePod (2nd gen), Midnight	$349	$259	$90
HomePod mini	$129	$89	$40
Apple TV 4K	$199	$119	$80

At $259, a HomePod sits $40 above the Sonos Era 100 rather than $130 above it, and a stereo pair costs $518 instead of $698. That doesn't fix Siri or make the S7 newer — but price was always the strongest objection. Browse the AppleCryptos store, read our full HomePod review, or see the background in Apple's 2026 price increases.

Frequently asked questions

What Apple speakers are available in 2026? Two: the HomePod (2nd generation) at $349 and the HomePod mini at $129. Both prices rose on 25 June 2026. A HomePod mini 2 is expected in September or October 2026.

Is the HomePod mini 2 out yet? Not as of August 2026. It is expected in September or October 2026, timed to arrive with the rebuilt Siri in iOS 27. Bloomberg reports the hardware has been finished for months and is in employee testing.

Should I buy a HomePod mini now or wait? Wait, unless you need a Matter hub immediately. The current mini is the October 2020 original on a 2019 S5 chip, and MacRumors rates it "Don't Buy — Updates Coming" with a replacement expected within weeks.

Will the current HomePod get the new Siri? Almost certainly not. Siri AI needs significant processing power and memory; the HomePod uses a 2021 S7 chip and the mini a 2019 S5. Apple has not confirmed this either way, but HomePod is never mentioned in Apple Intelligence materials.

What's the difference between HomePod and HomePod mini? Sound quality, essentially. The full-size adds a 4-inch woofer, five tweeters, room sensing and Dolby Atmos. Smart-home capability is identical — same Thread and Matter hub, same temperature and humidity sensors.

Does the HomePod have Bluetooth or an aux input? No. Neither HomePod generation has ever had a line-in, and Bluetooth 5.0 is used only for setup and proximity. Audio comes via AirPlay 2, which means an Android guest cannot play music on it.

How does the HomePod compare to the Sonos Era 100? The HomePod costs $349 to the Era 100's $219 and reviewers favour it on sound with Apple Music. The Era 100 adds Bluetooth, line-in and EQ, and supports AirPlay 2 — but lacks a built-in Matter and Thread hub.

Can I buy an Apple speaker with cryptocurrency? Yes. AppleCryptos sells genuine, sealed HomePods payable in Bitcoin and 50+ cryptocurrencies — currently $259 for the HomePod against Apple's $349, and $89 for the mini against Apple's $129 — with free worldwide shipping.

By Alex Carter, Apple & Crypto Analyst at AppleCryptos