HomePod mini in Midnight looks virtually identical to the previous Space Gray color, so why the change?
Apple is now offering its Siri-powered HomePod mini speaker in a new color option dubbed Midnight, bringing consistency to its speaker lineup.
The new Midnight option replaces the previous Space Gray color. The difference between them is difficult to discern with the naked eye as both color finishes look virtually identical under ambient lighting.
So, is Apple making this change just for the heck of it? No, it’s about consistency. The full-size HomePod comes in Midnight, too, and now the HomePod mini can be had in the exact same color instead of a slightly different Space Gray variant. This helps streamline the colors across the HomePod and HomePod mini lineups.
Why Midnight HomePod mini killed the Space Gray one
The available HomePod colors are now as follows:
- HomePod ($300): White, Midnight
- HomePod mini ($100): White, Midnight, Blue, Yellow, Orange
The new color is the only change. The HomePod mini in Midnight has all the same features as the other models in the lineup, including transparent mesh fabric, built-in temperature and humidity sensors, an LED status light at the top, etc.
Apple’s press release notes the new Midnight color option will be available to order starting Wednesday, July 17 via apple.com and the Apple Store app in the United States, Canada, China mainland, Singapore and 28 other countries.
Authorized resellers, retailers like Amazon and Apple’s select wireless carrier partners will also carry the new HomePod mini color.
New HomePod features coming this fall
The new HomePod firmware is coming down the pike this fall as part of Apple’s round of OS updates. It will bring several new features, like the ability to stream spatial audio from an iPhone or iPad to your HomePod.
Another new feature is shared HomePod music control via SharePlay in the Music app. Apple was testing this feature briefly in iOS 17.4 before removing it abruptly from later betas, but it seems to have finally graduated.
My favorite HomePod features are combining two speakers into a stereo-like configuration and using paired HomePods as my home theater with Dolby Atmos and spatial audio surround sound.
Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2024/07/15/apple-unveils-homepod-mini-midnight-color/
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