HomePod mini: Small sound and familiar frustrations

Even if the HomePod mini didn’t have a pedigree that includes such beloved Apple products as the iPod mini and Mac mini, it still would be in a difficult spot. For one, its namesake is one of the rare misses in the Tim Cook era. For another, its size and lower price point puts it in direct competition with the ubiquitous Amazon Echo and Google Nest Audio.

While the HomePod mini is a much-needed, overdue entry to Apple’s product matrix, it’s unlikely to tempt anyone who isn’t already invested in Apple’s ecosystem. Where Apple’s other mini products were geared toward switchers put off by the high prices of those products’ respective siblings, the HomePod mini is merely the speaker Apple should have released first.

As it stands, the HomePod mini feels like a catch-up device