Siri AI, Apple’s next-generation version of its voice assistant, might push everyone’s HomePods toward obsolescence. Technology is moving on, apparently leaving these smart speakers behind.
Still, the devices aren’t about to become rubbish. They’ll just miss out on some of the new Apple Intelligence features. Here’s what’s going on.
Why HomePod and HomePod mini miss out on Siri AI
Apple makes a full-size HomePod, which emphasizes premium audio performance, and the scaled-back, more affordable HomePod mini. A new version of the larger smart speaker launched in 2023, while the smaller one debuted in 2020. Obviously, neither one is new — and that’s a problem.
These devices were designed during pre-AI era, and now Apple is launching Siri AI, a new feature that should make all of us forget how lame the current version of Siri is. The upgraded system is designed to understand natural conversations, maintain context across multiple requests and perform more complex tasks, all with voice commands.
But Siri AI requires a speedy processor and lots of RAM. That does not describe HomePod hardware.
HomePods simply lack AI-quality hardware
What’s critical is that the current HomePod (2nd generation) uses an S7 processor from 2021, while the HomePod mini still relies on the even older S5 chip from 2019. In contrast, Apple Intelligence features like Siri AI on iPhone and iPad require far more powerful processors such as the A17 Pro or Apple M-series chips.
The RAM situation is even worse. While Apple has never officially disclosed the RAM in its smart speakers, the estimate is about 1GB, maybe 1.5GB on the full-size version. In short, a HomePod mini has about one-eighth the memory considered the minimum for Apple Intelligence.
Apple’s privacy advantage/problem
Anyone who’s used a cheap smart speaker like the Amazon Echo Dot might feel confused at this point. These devices have very basic hardware but run AI just fine. So why should a HomePod have a problem? The difference is privacy.
Apple says its AI features are handled on-device to protect user privacy whenever possible. That’s the opposite of Amazon’s AI-powered Alexa+, which sends all user prompts to remote data centers.
While it’s theoretically possible older smart speakers might offer Siri AI completely via the company’s secure cloud computing system, it’s very unlikely. When talking about Apple Intelligence, HomePod never gets mentioned. At all.
Lack of Siri AI doesn’t make your HomePod rubbish
If you’re feeling ill used, remind yourself that the launch of Siri AI on other devices doesn’t make your HomePods instantly obsolete. Apple continues to update them with new software features. For example, HomePod Software 27 (currently in beta) adds support for AutoMix in Apple Music, an AI-powered DJ-style mixing feature.
More importantly, your HomePods will also continue to function as smart-home hubs, AirPlay speakers and voice assistants. In other words, they’ll still do what they do now.
And don’t try to pretend this is somehow unprecedented. Exactly the same is happening with iPhones: hardware limitations mean that while older handsets keep receiving software updates and some AI-enhanced services, the devices miss out on the full conversational Siri AI and more advanced Apple Intelligence features. Why? Processor and RAM limitations.
New Siri AI-enabled HomePod on the way!
To be clear, this doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get a HomePod with Apple Intelligence. Multiple reports indicate that Apple has kept pushing back a brand-new HomePod until Siri AI is ready. When it finally launches in the fall, this will surely pack a processor and RAM sufficient for AI.
Expect the hardware/software combination to be brilliant. The AI-enabled version of Siri now in beta testing is conversational and useful in a way that the older version absolutely never was. Being able to have real interactions with Siri AI simply by talking to a HomePod upgrades the smart speaker into what so many of us hoped it would be from the beginning.
That said, many people are surely going to feel frustrated that the current HomePod and HomePod mini will be watching the AI revolution from the sidelines.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 26 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh SE/30 (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer.
That’s because he’s a “tablet first” type of guy. Rather than use a Macbook, he connects a keyboard case to the iPad. And instead of a desktop Mac, he connects his tablet to a 27-inch display and full-size keyboard. (So don’t try to tell him that everyone has to use a Mac to be productive.)
Before coming to Cult of Mac, Ed wrote for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
