Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2 hands-on: A look at the audio updates and Siri AI

The HomePod mini 2 has also been updated for Siri AI. Right off the top, the speaker is now powered by the S10 chip, a big upgrade over the S5 that was in the 2020 model. This hardware will eventually enable Siri AI, but the next-gen — or now current-gen — assistant won't be on the HomePod mini 2 at launch. Apple says that feature is coming at a later date.

For now, the two big new features are Sound Glow and expanded surround sound functionality. Sound Glow mimics album artwork on the HomePod mini 2's back-lit touch panel. If you're listening to a soundscape, the lights will mirror things…