Apple has suddenly replaced the HomePod mini in space gray with a new midnight color option, but the price and features are identical.
HomePod mini released with a space gray option
The second-generation HomePod was announced in January 2023 to replace the discontinued and now vintage original model. The new products introduced new features, better acoustics, and a new midnight color.
Apple hasn't updated the HomePod mini with a second-generation model, but it did replace the space gray option with midnight on Monday. The midnight colorway is almost imperceptibly different, with a slight blue shade added to the previously black material.
The HomePod mini has proven to be a more popular option due to its significantly lower price point. It is a small speaker with decent sound for its size and can be controlled by Siri.
The controversial speaker line is Wi-Fi only and has no ports for connecting other products. Users have complained about difficulty getting simple tasks done with Siri, like controlling a smart home or requesting general information.
Apple Intelligence won't be helping Siri on HomePod mini either, at least not directly. There won't be any on-device AI models, but nothing has been shared about Apple's plans for implementing the better Siri on unsupported devices just yet.
The new midnight color might not improve audio or Siri, but it at least matches the second-generation HomePod. The HomePod mini can be purchased for $99 from Apple's website and third-party retailers.