On July 15, 2024, Apple introduced a new color for its product “HomePod Mini” named “HomePod Mini in Midnight”, which is made of 100% recycled mesh fabric. The company announced this latest addition on July 15, 2024, highlighting its commitment to sustainability, while enhancing the color scheme of the HomePod Mini and making the palette match the HomePod Mini’s sister product, the second-generation HomePod. The midnight color appears similar to space gray with a slightly bluer tone and it is available from July 17th, 2024, joining the yellow, orange, blue, and white colors of HomePod Mini.
Initially, the HomePod mini was unveiled in only white and space-gray colors as smaller versions of the HomePod. Later on, yellow, orange, and blue were added to the collection in which 90% recycled materials have been utilized so far. Yet, the new HomePod Mini in Midnight has a significant feature that surpasses other existing HomePods: being composed of 100% recycled mesh. Plus, since the larger HomePod’s midnight color has already been in sale, it is great news that Apple also launched midnight color in the smaller, more affordable model, HomePod Mini.
Features of HomePod Mini
With its compact design, around 8.5 centimeters or 3.3 inches tall, the HomePod Mini is a smart speaker with a remarkable sound quality that allows users to have access to over 100 songs via Apple Music and fill their room with music or create a live theater experience by connecting to Apple TV 4K. Therefore, HomePod Mini outperforms its competitors in terms of sound quality, winning a seat as a key player in the smart speaker industry. Moreover, Siri integrated into Homepods enables users to explore a variety of music information and search using criteria such as artist, song, lyrics, decade, genre, mood, or activity in addition to offering users to control their smart home by creating smart home automation, letting users check temperature and humidity in a room, or getting them informed in case a smoke or carbon monoxide leak is to be detected. Plus, HomepPods support intercom features, which make it possible for users to send announcements or messages across multiple Siri-enabled speakers. Thus, the HomePod mini presents integration with other Apple devices and services, which is crucially important when constructing a smart home ecosystem filled with plenty of Apple devices.
HomePod Mini in Midnight resembles other HomePods in terms of appearance, pricing, and functionality, featuring the same Apple S5 chip and offering the same functionalities.
The functions of HomePod Minis’ can be summarized as Siri access, temperature and humidity checker, smoke or carbon monoxide detection and alert mechanism, and intercom integration that allows communication between numerous Siri-enabled speakers.
Reactions to the color update
The update received various reactions including enthusiasm and mild skepticism. While some users value the new color option in the context of sustainability, others believe the update was not that essential and worthy of a press release and media attention. Considering some users were expecting a major update instead of a minor color addition for the HomePod mini, which was initially released in November 2020, the update was frustrating according to some. However, the new midnight color can still be seen as a continuity in design and harmony at Apple’s smart home products.
For the company, on the other hand, this move is indicative of its efforts to preserve consumer interest by primarily investing in sustainability with an emphasis on the use of 100% recycled materials, a critical component of modern consumer electronics. Furthermore, the update reveals Apple’s strategy which includes regular updates and upgrades, not necessarily breakthroughs, to excite users, attract media attention, keep its lineup fresh, and potentially gain new customers.
HomePod mini is currently available in the Apple store app. The new color is added to the collection starting on 17th July and is being sold at Apple Stores in the US, Canada, China, Singapore, and 28 other countries for $99. After all, despite not being a substantial update, HomePod Mini in Midnight promotes sustainability and provides a larger color scheme aligning with Apple’s overall design strategies while retaining Apple smart speaker products in trend.
