Testing the HomePod Mini’s New U1 Handoff Functionality

Apple today released iOS 14.4 and the HomePod 14.4 software, with these two updates introducing improved Handoff functionality between the HomePod mini and the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 models. In our latest YouTube video, we tested out the new functionality to see just how it works. The ‌HomePod mini‌, the ‌iPhone 11‌ models, and […]

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HomePod Mini Now Works With Select 18W Chargers Following 14.3 Software Update

Earlier this month, Apple released a 14.3 software update for the HomePod and HomePod mini, and it has since been discovered that this update allows the HomePod mini to be powered by select 18W chargers. As noted in a Reddit thread spotted by The 8-Bit, and confirmed by MacRumors, the HomePod mini now works with […]

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Apple Setup Issues: Apple Watch Verification Failed, HomePod Stuck on Configuring

Five Reasons Why You Might Want to Consider AirPods Max Since the launch of the AirPods Max last week, we’ve done a couple of videos sharing a brief hands-on with Apple’s new over-ear headphones and a comparison of them to other popular noise-cancelling headphones from Bose, Sony, and Sennheiser. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel […]

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Upcoming HomePod 14.4 Software Update to Add New HomePod Mini U1 Features

The iOS 14.4 beta that was introduced today didn’t appear to include any new features, but an accompanying HomePod 14.4 beta will introduce new HomePod mini functionality that takes advantage of the U1 ultra wideband chip in the device. The ‌HomePod‌ beta software is not made available to developers like iOS and macOS software and […]

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How to Assign Primary Users to Individual HomePods in the Same Household

Apple Highlights Popular Apps Optimized for M1 Macs Apple recently shared a list of popular apps optimized for Macs with the M1 chip that are available in the Mac App Store, such as Pixelmator Pro, Adobe Lightroom, Affinity Designer, Darkroom, Fantastical, BBEdit, Instapaper, and Twitter. “Macs with the new Apple M1 chip offer unprecedented performance, […]

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Apple Releases 14.2.1 Software for HomePod and HomePod Mini

Apple Researching a Matte Black Finish for MacBooks Apple has filed a patent application for an intense light-absorbant matte black finish for a range of products, including the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and MacBook (via Patently Apple). Image via ColorWare The patent application, filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, is titled “Anodized Part […]

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$99 Speaker Showdown: HomePod Mini vs. Amazon Echo and Google Nest Audio

Apple recently released the HomePod mini, a new $99 version of the original HomePod that’s smaller, cuter, and, most importantly, competitively priced. At $99, the ‌HomePod mini‌ can better compete with affordable smart speakers from companies like Google and Amazon. The ‌HomePod mini‌ has been praised for its high-quality sound at its price point, so […]

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Apple’s Annual Holiday Ad Revolves Around ‘The Magic of Mini’

Apple today shared its annual holiday ad on YouTube, titled “The magic of mini,” showing how music can help improve your mood. As noted by Adweek, this year’s edition of the ad features rapper Tierra Whack arriving home to her apartment in a dreary state, but her mood quickly improves after the HomePod mini adds […]

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HomePod Mini Shipping Times Slip into January Across Europe as Global Stocks Dwindle

The availability of HomePod mini is now at its lowest since Apple’s new smart speaker went on sale last month, with shipping times across Europe having already slipped into next year in many cases. In the United Kingdom, France, and Spain, for example, the delivery time for a ‌HomePod mini‌ ordered today in either space […]

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PSA: You Can’t Output Mac System Audio to Stereo-Paired HomePod Minis, But There Is a Workaround

If you were thinking of buying two HomePod mini speakers to use as a stereo pair with your Mac, you might want to think again. As some users undoubtedly found with the original HomePod, it’s not possible to AirPlay to multiple speakers from the menu bar on a Mac. The inability to select stereo-paired ‌HomePod‌ […]

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Hands-On With the New HomePod Mini

Apple’s new $99 HomePod mini officially launched yesterday, with the first pre-order purchases arriving to customers and Apple beginning in-store sales. We picked up a new ‌HomePod mini‌ and thought we’d test it out for MacRumors readers who are curious how Apple’s smaller HomePod measures up to the original model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube […]

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First Impressions From HomePod Mini Customers: ‘The Sound Quality is Great’

Today is HomePod mini launch day in the United States and nine other countries, and as orders begin arriving to customers, first impressions of the speaker are beginning to surface on the web. While we’ve already seen HomePod mini reviews from media outlets and YouTubers, customer opinions provide additional perspective. HomePod mini photo shot by […]

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HomePod Mini Begins Shipping to Customers, First Orders Arrive November 16

HomePod mini pre-orders are beginning to ship to customers around the world ahead of the speaker’s launch next week. While many orders remain in the “Processing” or “Preparing to Ship” stages in the United States, one MacRumors reader in Germany shared a screenshot of his HomePod mini marked as shipped on Apple’s online store, with […]

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