responsibly managed forests or recycled sources
have been used, and the device is free from
mercury, brominated flame retardants, PVC, and
beryllium. Apple also says that the new device
is power-efficient and intelligently powers
down during periods of inactivity, consuming
75 percent less energy than the stringent
requirements for ENERGY STAR.
And that’s not all: HomePod mini supports Siri
Shortcuts and offers out-of-the-box ambient
sounds such as rain, a fireplace, a stream, and
more to offer a relaxing background noise. The
device can also be used with the Find My app
to help locate a misplaced iPhone, iPad, Mac, or
Apple Watch - and this is likely to be extended
with the advent of AirTags next month. Web
search results from HomePod can be sent to a
user’s iPhone, and music alarms allow users to
wake up to their favorite tracks, playlists, or radio
stations on Apple Music.
Though the HomePod mini may not
revolutionize the smart speaker market just yet,
it gives Apple an additional string in its bow,
helping it fight against rivals in the lucrative
smart home sector. Combined with the
upcoming AirTags and hugely-popular smart
home devices from third-party manufacturers,
consumers can now invest in Apple-compatible
smart home tech with confidence. The smart
home sector is Apple’s to lose; we can’t wait to
see what’s next!