The first-generation HomePod mini, released in 2020 with an S5 chip, will not support Siri AI. CNET has corrected its earlier report claiming that Apple would bring the assistant to the older speaker, confirming that the more advanced Siri AI features will remain exclusive to HomePod mini 2.
Apple announced HomePod mini 2 on October 13 with an S10 chip designed to handle Siri AI requests. The original speaker’s older hardware cannot support the same features, meaning owners will not gain Siri AI through a software update.
Siri AI Will Be Exclusive to HomePod Mini 2
CNET initially reported that the S5-powered HomePod mini would gain Siri AI compatibility later this year alongside changes coming in iOS 27.2. However, the publication subsequently corrected its report to confirm that older HomePod mini models would not receive the more advanced Siri AI features.
However, users of older HomePod Minis won’t be getting the more advanced Siri AI features. The HomePod Mini 2, with its faster S10 processor, is made to process Siri AI requests, and the same abilities won’t be available on older HomePods.
The HomePod mini 2 is the only HomePod mini model confirmed to support Siri AI. Apple has not announced plans to extend compatibility to the original speaker, and the corrected report rules out the previously suggested software update for the older model.
HomePod mini 2 goes on sale Friday, October 30, for $149. Apple has not yet announced when the software update enabling Siri AI will arrive.
The Original HomePod Mini’s S5 Chip Is Too Old for Siri AI
The original HomePod mini’s S5 chip is significantly older than the S10 in its successor. Siri AI requires more processing capability, and the original speaker will not receive the same features through a software update.
Apple has taken a different approach with its Apple TV lineup. The company confirmed that older Apple TV 4K models, starting with the second-generation model released in 2021, will support Siri AI. Apple explicitly confirmed compatibility for those Apple TV models but made no similar commitment for the first-generation HomePod mini.
Siri AI Still Requires an Apple Intelligence iPhone or iPad
Apple’s setup requirements for HomePod mini 2 include a compatible Apple Intelligence iPhone or iPad running the latest software. The owner of the home in the Home app must meet this requirement to set up Siri AI.
Siri AI must also be enabled and configured in a supported language. Requests that rely on personal context require a paired Apple Intelligence device.
Under these rules, a home owner whose iPhone cannot run Apple Intelligence cannot complete the required setup for Siri AI on HomePod mini 2. Once enabled, other people in the home can use supported features, including general knowledge, natural conversations and music discovery, without owning an Apple Intelligence device themselves.
Apple says Siri AI will arrive as a free software update. Some Apple Intelligence features that rely on server-side models have daily usage limits, with expanded access expected to be available for a fee in the future. Siri AI will also be initially unavailable in the European Union on iPhone and iPad.
The Full-Sized HomePod Has No Confirmed Siri AI Support
Apple has not announced Siri AI support for the full-sized HomePod. For now, HomePod mini 2 remains the only HomePod speaker confirmed to support the new assistant.
Owners of the original HomePod mini who want Siri AI will need to upgrade to the newer model rather than wait for a software update.
