Apple's expanded Home spread: HomePod mini 2, Apple TV 4K

Apple has introduced a new HomePod mini, a new Apple TV 4K and the Apple Home Collection of smart home accessories. The launch expands its home product range with new hardware and software tied to Siri AI.

HomePod mini 2 will be sold in pink, green, blue, white, and midnight, with Siri AI arriving later via a software update, and will be available in English in markets including the UK, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, and the U.S.

The updated speaker can recognise up to six people in one household by voice and connect to their devices across apps such as Messages and timers. Users with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad can use personal context features across their apps, while other users will still get broader web-based responses and more conversational exchanges once Siri AI is enabled on a supported speaker.

Audio remains central to the new device. Apple said it uses the S10 chip and computational audio to adjust sound in real time, and can work alone, in stereo pairs or in a multiroom setup.

It also links more closely with the new Apple TV 4K. For the first time, customers can create a four-speaker surround sound arrangement with Apple TV 4K and four HomePod mini 2 or HomePod speakers in matching pairs, with the system calibrating audio timing and levels to the room.

Apple TV 4K also gets Siri AI and built-in far-field microphones, allowing voice control without the remote. It runs on Apple's A19 chip, with up to 50 per cent faster CPU performance and up to twice the GPU performance of the previous generation, and adds an AV1 decoder for video streaming.

The Siri Remote keeps the same general design but now includes Find My support and, on the newest version, an option to play a sound to help locate it. The set-top box also remains a home hub for smart home accessories, with support for camera notifications, accessory control, automations and local processing for HomeKit Secure Video.

"The new Apple TV 4K is our most immersive home theatre experience yet," said Bob Borchers, Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing at Apple. "With Siri AI, finding something to watch becomes a full-screen, conversational experience, and with built-in far-field microphones, it's completely hands-free. Pair it with HomePod for the best surround sound setup we've ever offered, and it makes managing your Apple Home accessories easier than ever. Now, alongside HomeView and HomePod mini 2, it's part of the most connected Apple Home we've ever built," Borchers said.

Accessory range

The biggest expansion comes with Apple Home Collection, which takes Apple deeper into branded smart home accessories. The range includes indoor and outdoor cameras, a floodlight camera, a video doorbell, a deadbolt lock, thermostats and room sensors.

The company said Home data in the app is encrypted end-to-end and cannot be read by Apple, LG Electronics or Schneider Electric.

At launch, the video doorbell and camera products will be available in the U.S., Canada and the UK, while the smart deadbolt lock and smart thermostats will be sold in the U.S. and Canada.

The camera line-up records at up to 2.5K resolution and stores event history through eligible iCloud+ plans. Some plans will also support automated video descriptions and natural language search of footage using Apple Intelligence features. Built-in storage is intended to keep recording active during Wi-Fi outages.

The lock uses ultra wideband to detect when an authorised user with a home key on a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch approaches the door. It can also be opened by tapping the device, entering a PIN or using a hidden backup key slot, while guest access can be managed in the Home app.

For climate control, thermostat settings can be adjusted based on whether someone is at home, leaving or winding down for the night, using on-device intelligence from iPhone. In parts of the U.S., the system can also shift heating and cooling to lower-cost or cleaner periods for homes on compatible utility plans.

"Apple Home Collection makes it easy to choose smart home accessories with confidence," said Matthew Costello, Vice President of Hardware Engineering at Apple.

"Working closely with industry leaders LG Electronics and Schneider Electric, we designed every accessory to work seamlessly with Apple Home, so managing your home is simple, reliable, and private."