HomePod mini 2 in Finland – €169, but no Siri AI for now

About 3 min read

Analysis

Apple’s new HomePod mini 2 went on sale on 30 October, and The Verge’s first look climbed into the site’s most-read list over the weekend. In Finland the speaker costs €169. But what does a buyer in Finland actually get when the headline feature, Siri AI, is not coming to the EU for now?

Key facts

  • Price in Finland €169 (Apple Store Finland), in the US $149 (Apple)
  • Colours: white, pink, blue, green and midnight
  • S10 chip (previously S5), Wi-Fi 6E (previously Wi-Fi 4) and Bluetooth 6 (MacRumors, Apple)
  • Siri AI arrives later in English only, in eight countries, not including the EU (Apple)
  • Operating temperature 0–35 °C (Apple tech specs)

What changed in the HomePod mini 2

According to The Verge, the speaker hardware is unchanged, but the brains are new. The Verge’s reviewer found that Siri usually answers in under three seconds, compared with waits of up to ten seconds on the first-generation Mini. Also new are the Sound Glow light effect, a lock for the touch controls and the option to use the speaker as a Mac’s default output. That last feature did not yet work in The Verge’s test. According to The Verge, Sound Glow and the touch lock also come to the original HomePod mini via a software update. MacRumors reports three microphones, down from four in the previous model.

Sources count the price rise differently: The Verge compares it with the original Mini’s $99 launch price, MacRumors with the predecessor’s latest price of $129.

Siri AI is not coming to Finland – yet

Apple says Siri AI will reach the HomePod mini 2 in a later update, in English, in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore and South Africa. Apple’s availability page says Siri AI is not available in the EU. According to the Finnish site Mobiili.fi, buyers in Finland get the current Siri for now.

Who it suits in Finland

  • iPhone households. Setup needs an iPhone or iPad, so it makes little sense in an Android home.
  • As a smart home hub. Apple says the HomePod mini controls HomeKit and Matter accessories, and it supports Thread.
  • Not for a cold cottage. Apple lists an operating temperature of 0–35 °C, so an unheated winter cottage or a glazed balcony in frost is not the place for it.

The Hilavitkutin verdict

If your old HomePod mini feels sluggish, the faster Siri and Wi-Fi 6E are a real improvement. But the biggest reason to upgrade, Siri AI, is still only a promise in Finland. For €169 you get a good small speaker and smart home hub, not yet an AI assistant. Hilavitkutin has not tested the device itself.