HomePod Mini 2 and Apple TV 4K launched in India, price starts at Rs 18,900

Apple has just refreshed its smart home line-up with the launch of the next-generation HomePod mini and a new Apple TV 4K, alongside its new HomeView smart display. Both devices bring upgrades to Apple's connected home experience, including improved audio and smarter home controls. The HomePod mini 2 gets new colours, 360-degree audio, Sound Glow lighting effects and smarter home controls, with AI-powered Siri coming through a future software update. The new Apple TV 4K, meanwhile, gets the A19 chip, hands-free voice controls and a more conversational Siri experience for finding content.Here’s a quick look at what’s new and how much the two devices cost in India.HomePod mini 2 India price and availabilityApple has priced the HomePod mini 2 at Rs 18,900 in India. Pre-orders are now live with availability beginning October 30. You can choose the smart speaker in five colours: pink, green, blue, white and midnight.Meanwhile, Siri AI will arrive on the HomePod mini 2 through a future software update. Apple says the feature will be available in English in India, the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the UK. The speaker is compatible with HomePod software 27.2. HomePod mini 2: What’s new?Now the good part. The new gen HomePod mini is powered by Apple's S10 chip and promises to deliver 360-degree audio from its compact design. Users can play music through a single speaker, pair two speakers for stereo sound or connect multiple speakers for multiroom audio. When paired with the new Apple TV 4K, the HomePod mini 2 can also be part of a four-speaker surround-sound setup.One of the highlights is Siri AI, which Apple says will arrive through a future software update. The upgraded assistant is designed to understand personal context, hold more natural conversations and improve music discovery. When paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad, it can handle requests involving information across apps, such as finding a song recommended in a message, locating a recipe in an email or setting a reminder linked to a calendar event. The speaker can recognise up to six people in a household by voice and personalise music and other responses accordingly. Apple has also introduced Sound Glow, which makes the top of the speaker light up and pulse in time with music, responding to bass and treble. Users can also choose soundscapes, including rain, to trigger ambient light effects.The HomePod mini 2 can control compatible smart home accessories through voice commands, including lights, blinds, thermostats and door locks. It can also act as a home hub, allowing users to control connected devices remotely through the Home app. According to Apple, the Sound Recognition can also detect smoke or carbon monoxide alarms and send notifications to connected Apple devices.Meet the new Apple TV 4KMoving to the living room, the new Apple TV 4K is powered by the A19 chip, which Apple says delivers up to 50 per cent faster CPU performance and up to twice the GPU performance compared with the previous generation. It also includes a dedicated AV1 decoder for more efficient streaming. Apple TV 4K The device features three far-field microphones, allowing users to control playback and search for shows using voice commands without needing to hold the Siri Remote. Siri AI brings a full-screen interface for content discovery and can answer follow-up questions while a show or film is playing. Users can ask about awards, filming locations or whether a title is suitable for a particular age group.The updated Siri Remote adds Find My support with Precision Finding and an option to play a sound to help users locate it. Apple TV 4K also works as a smart home hub, displaying notifications from compatible doorbells and supporting automations and accessory controls. Apple Intelligence can generate descriptions of camera activity and summarise notifications in the Home app.Apple TV 4K price and availability in IndiaApple has priced the new Apple TV 4K (fourth generation) at Rs 39,900 in India. Pre-orders open on October 13, with availability beginning November 13.Siri AI will be available in beta on Apple TV 4K (second generation or later), including in India, in English. The new Siri Remote is also available to buy separately and is compatible with Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K. Find My support is available on the second-generation Siri Remote and later models.- Ends