Smart sound ball: Apple's Homepod mini is almost big

At around 100 euros, the Homepod mini is much more expensive than similarly small competitors from Google and Amazon. ntv.de tried out whether Apple's small wireless speaker justified the price and what its advantages and disadvantages are.

Around three years after the Homepod, Apple brings the Homepod mini onto the market. In principle, it is the answer to the Amazon Echo Dot or Google's Nest Mini, because it also represents an inexpensive entry into the world of smart wireless speakers. However, at almost 100 euros, the small Homepod is significantly more expensive than the competition, which currently costs less than half. In the test it quickly becomes apparent that the devices are otherwise hardly comparable because Apple, as always, does a lot differently than the others.

Pretty toddler

The loudspeaker is a sphere around 10 centimeters in diameter that is flattened at the top and bottom. On the top is a glossy touch surface that glows in different colors during activity, such as with the large Homepod. If you don't want to talk to Apple's digital assistant Siri, you can control the playback via the surface. Like the large speaker, the small one is covered with a honeycomb fabric. That looks good, optically the Homepod mini has the nose in front.

The loudspeaker has no inputs. Playback takes place either via WiFi streaming or Airplay – and only works with Apple devices. The only directly available music service is currently Apple Music, but the manufacturer has opened the interface for other providers, and Amazon Music will be the first to be added at some point. For the time being, Spotify and other services can only be played on the Homepod mini via Airplay.

One advantage of Apple's largely closed ecosystem is that everything is pretty straightforward if you get involved. The device is set up in no time by plugging it in and then moving an iPhone close to it. It is just as easy to transfer the playback from the mobile phone to the speaker – as long as Apple Music is playing.

In contrast to the new iPhones, the Homepod mini comes with a power supply unit. You don't necessarily need the charger, you can draw power from any USB-C output that provides enough juice.

Sounds pretty big

The sound is amazingly good for its small size. Even Apple's engineers can't work miracles, but what the dwarf can do with a loudspeaker and two passive woofers is very impressive. The Homepod mini has its strengths in the mids and heights, which it displays very cleanly and in detail. As expected, you don't feel the bass in your stomach, but it's definitely there. In addition, there is a 360-degree playback, which is made possible by a waveguide on the underside.

Two small home pods sound particularly impressive as a stereo pair because they create an astonishingly large volume. It's a lot of fun, even if the instruments are not always clearly located on the stage. All in all, Apple's loudspeaker sphere clearly leaves the little beginners of the competition behind in terms of sound.

Siri listens well

Music playback is only one of the device's tasks. The other is the networked home. The small Homepod can also serve as a control center, via which users can control various smart home devices using voice commands. If you do this, the detection via the three microphones is very good, even with louder music, Siri hears instructions at room volume from a distance of two or three meters. A fourth microphone contributes to this, tracking the music and helping the electronics to distinguish it from the language.

The practical thing with several Homepods in the house is that the devices automatically only control their rooms. With "Hey Siri, lights off" it only gets dark in the room to which the loudspeaker is assigned. After all, like iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch and Carplay, the Homepod mini masters intercom, which can be used to make announcements. For example, you can call the family to dinner.

Ideal for Apple fans

Basically, you can say that the control via Siri is excellent, but otherwise the assistant is not as clever and versatile as Amazon Alexa or the Google Assistant. On the other hand, Apple largely preserves privacy and is much less spied on. Much is done on the devices themselves, contact to Apple's servers is encrypted and no information is merged via IDs.

The bottom line is simple: convinced Apple users will find the Homepod mini the ideal introduction to the smart home. The loudspeaker has enough sound for small rooms or the desk and, as a control center, takes over the control of other devices. At just under 100 euros, it is also relatively cheap by Apple standards.