Whilst we might be waiting a while for Apple’s long-rumored Apple Glasses and indeed its Apple Car, the company is still introducing new categories and changing the tech industry.
Earlier this year, Apple shocked the world when it announced it was discontinuing the HomePod, after failing to compete with the likes of Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
However, the launch of a new HomePod mini; a cheaper, less expensive version of the original device; could offer Apple the avenue it needs to take the HomeKit ecosystem to the next level and allow consumers to build their own truly smart homes that listen, adapt, and evolve based on user behavior.
HomeKit isn’t a new part of Apple’s software – it’s been around since 2014, and a growing number of manufacturers support the technology – but to take advantage of it, you’ll need a HomePod. A hub device can expand HomeKit’s abilities considerably, inviting guests to use smart home accessories, create routines, and more.
As HomeKit integrates deeply into iOS, and because Apple is rigorous when it comes to HomeKit product approvals, meaning enhanced security, it’s the preferred option for many.
As has always been the case with Apple, the more Apple products you have, the better they all work, and with the new HomePod mini, the company should get more consumers onboard to its way of thinking, and ultimately help take the human interface to the next level.
We’re still talking pretty straightforward things today – turning on a light, playing music in every room – but in time, Apple will have yet another billion-user ecosystem it can utilize to change the world.
In the months and years ahead, as HomePod mini grows in popularity with special offers and deals from Apple, the company could be onto another winner and convince consumers to move away from speakers like Amazon Echo Dot and Google Nest Mini, to a more privacy-focused and enhanced smart speaker and home automation system, built into iOS and macOS.
What are your thoughts? Let us know and check back soon for more.