A HomePod Mini software update will soon unlock its temperature and humidity sensors for some fun smart home automations.
The Apple HomePod 2 has now landed for anyone who needs a powerful, iPhone-friendly smart speaker. But Apple’s new wireless wonder has also helped deliver some treats for its smaller sibling; the HomePod mini.
Thanks to a software update that’s coming soon, the HomePod mini (opens in new tab) will see some hitherto untapped smart home talents unlocked. One of the Apple HomePod 2’s biggest new features is some built-in temperature and humidity sensors, which the company says can prompt the speaker to automatically close blinds or turn on smart fans.
But in Apple’s official HomePod comparison page (opens in new tab), the HomePod mini is also listed as having those exact same sensors, despite the fact that they’ve never been officially promoted as a feature. That’s about to change thanks to Apple’s upcoming software update.
An iFixit teardown (opens in new tab) of the Homepod mini revealed that the speaker does indeed have the Texas Instruments-made sensors for measuring humidity and temperature.
