¿¿¿ Get started with the HomePod Mini ¿¿¿ When the HomePod launched in 2018, critics praised its sound quality while also questioning how it would ever compete in the competitive smart speaker market. Critics' speculation was mostly correct for several years; the price of the stunning sounding speaker was too great for most consumers. Things changed in 2020. Apple had spent years perfecting the HomePod and was ready to power their knowledge into something smaller and cheaper: the HomePod mini. The HomePod mini lacks the multiple speakers of its larger companion but still offers a robust, room-filling sound. Unlike many budget smart speakers, the HomePod mini