Apple’s range of smart speakers are arriving in Malaysia! Both the 2nd generation HomePod and the more affordable HomePod mini – which were released in 2023 and 2020 respectively – will be offered on our shores from 10 May onwards.

Pricing wise, the full-size HomePod retails at RM1,549 in Malaysia, while the more compact HomePod mini goes for RM529. In terms of features, both smart speakers are quite similar to each other, being able to act as a hub for a smart home ecosystem through Apple HomeKit and the Matter standard.

Hardware wise, the HomePod is the more well-equipped smart speaker of the two. Though the silhouette of the new HomePod is similar to its predecessor, the glowing Siri animations on the top of the smart speaker has been expanded. It also comes with the Apple S7 chip now, which improves the HomePod’s “advanced computational audio” to improve audio quality by taking into accounts its placement in a room.

Speaking of which, the updated HomePod features a custom-engineered high-excursion woofer and five tweeters around the base. According to Apple, the smart speaker is able to deliver “rich, deep bass, natural mid-range, and clear, detailed highs.”

As for the HomePod mini, it has an Apple S5 chip that works with “advanced software to analyse the unique characteristics of the music and apply complex tuning models to optimise volume, adjust the dynamic range, and control the movement of the driver and passive radiators in real time,” as Apple puts it. In short, you can expect good audio quality out of the compact smart speaker.

To recap, the Apple HomePod and HomePod mini will be available for purchase in Malaysia next week on 10 May. The HomePod is priced at RM1,549, while the HomePod mini costs RM529.