HomePod mini is Apple’s True Smart Home Beginning
Great sound, price, design, impressive intelligence, and admirable smart home control make this a winning product
One can’t help but wonder what Apple’s smart home business and strategy would’ve been like if it had released the cute, yet formidable HomePod mini in 2018. This remarkable $99 smart speaker is essentially everything we want from a smart home companion and digital assistant. It’s small, attractive, powerful, smart and, as far as I can tell, secure. It works with thousands of internet of things gadgets (while still missing some key ones) and is as easy to use as anything from Amazon.
Why did we have to wait so long?
When Apple finally unveiled the long-awaited HomePod mini a few weeks ago, I was primarily bowled over by the price. Apple’s favorite “entry-level” number is $199 and, to be honest, we haven’t seen that in a while. $99 is a psychographic level that triggers consumer pleasure and loosens wallets.
However, the HomePod mini is much more than its attractive price. The wall-powered smart speaker checks every box for smart home use and exceeds expectations in most areas.
