What are peoples thoughts on the HomePod mini?

By Tristo, 19 April, 2022

Forum
Apple Hardware and Compatible Accessories

Hi all, I'm interested in buying the Homepod Miny. What do you all think about it's accessability, and it's features? Also I don't have Apple Music, and instead use Spotify. I've heard that Spotify hasn't added support for the Homepod Miny yet. Can you use airplay to play Spotify songs? Also is it wirth buying the Homepod Miny even though spotify isn't supported? Any advice would be appreciated.

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By Siobhan on Friday, April 22, 2022 - 07:14

I don't have a homepod, but it has voice over built in like everything else. Personally, I wouldn't waste your money on it seeing as the onboard assistant Siri is as dumb as a bag of rocks. apple's just trying to compete with Google and alexa. I'd go for a Google Home Max. More expensive sure, but a lot richer and better sound. Good luck.

By Cobbler on Friday, April 22, 2022 - 07:14

If your use case mostly consists of Apple Music and HomeKit, then the HomePod mini is an okay choice for smaller rooms when compared to what else is available at the same price point.

I have used it with Spotify in the past. My recollection is that it mostly worked okay, but was a clunkier experience than Apple Music. Apple Music essentially provides a more ā€˜nativeā€™ experience when controlled with Siri.

For a larger room, such as a living room, I find that using two as a stereo pair is necessary to get acceptable audio performance.

Where things fall down is as soon as you attempt to have the HomePod do anything close to ā€˜smartā€™, as this will typically highlight just how dumb Siri is.

I am so tired of hearing ā€œjust a momentā€ and ā€œworking on itā€ when I have asked Siri to do even the most basic of tasks.

I am so tired of having a command work on one occasion, and then not work the next time.

I am so tired of asking Siri to play a certain track, album or playlist, to find it play something which is nowhere close to what I asked for.

On the plus for the HonePod, is AirPlay and transferring playback by simply bringing your iPhone close. If only nearly everything else about this so-called smart speaker wasn't so dumb.

This is why each of my HomePod minis has an Amazon Echo speaker just a few inches away from it.