Apple’s HomePod Is Suddenly Hot Again in the US — What’s Changed?

TLDR:

• “HomePod” searches spiked 2.22x in the US this week, the highest sustained interest since the original HomePod launched in 2018
• Apple is preparing a full-size HomePod refresh and the long-awaited HomePod mini 2 for fall 2026, both tied to the new Siri AI
• The current HomePod 2 sits at $299 and the HomePod mini at $99, both expected to be replaced before the holiday quarter
• The spike lines up with Apple’s September 9, 2026 event where Siri AI was confirmed ready for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27
• HomePod now has a clearer reason to exist than it has in years — Apple’s smart home push is finally backed by working software

Why HomePod Searches Just Doubled

HomePod has been Apple’s awkward middle child since the original launch in 2018. Apple discontinued it, brought it back as the HomePod 2 in 2023, and has treated the speaker as a niche product while Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Nest dominate the smart home category. So when Google Trends shows a 2.22x spike in US searches for “HomePod” this week, the question is obvious: what changed?

Three things, all converging within the last 30 days. First, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported on July 28, 2026 that Apple has three new smart home products “nearly ready” — a refreshed Apple TV 4K, a new full-size HomePod, and the long-awaited HomePod mini 2. Second, Apple’s September 9, 2026 event confirmed that the new Siri AI is finally ready to ship in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27, which is the software backbone Apple’s home products have been waiting for. Third, MacRumors confirmed a separate Apple smart home hub with a 7-inch display is in the pipeline at a rumored $350 price point.

Put those together and HomePod stops being a $300 paperweight and starts being the speaker half of an Apple smart home ecosystem that finally has software worth using.

The Current HomePod Lineup (And Why It Might Not Last)

Apple currently sells two HomePod models in the US. The full-size HomePod 2 launched in February 2023 at $299 and remains at that price today, though most retailers including Best Buy and Amazon list it for $249 on sale. It is the only Apple-made speaker with full-room spatial audio, a 4-inch high-excursion woofer, and the S7 chip for computational audio tuning. The HomePod mini launched in November 2020 at $99 and is still $99 directly from Apple, though it is frequently discounted to $79 at retailers. Both models run Siri, support HomeKit and Matter, and integrate with Apple Music and the Apple TV 4K for home theater audio.

The catch is that both products are running on aging silicon. The HomePod 2’s S7 chip is the same processor that shipped in the Apple Watch Series 7, and the HomePod mini’s S5 chip dates back to the Apple Watch Series 5 in 2019. Neither device can run the on-device Apple Intelligence models shipping in iOS 27 — those require an A17 Pro or newer. That is the underlying reason Apple has been waiting to refresh the lineup, and the reason the fall 2026 launches are expected to be more than incremental spec bumps.

HomePod vs Amazon Echo Studio vs Google Nest Audio

The smart speaker comparison has not changed in years, but the calculus is shifting. Amazon’s Echo Studio currently sells for $199 and offers Dolby Atmos, three 2-inch mid-range drivers, and a 5.25-inch woofer. It supports Alexa, Zigbee, and Matter, and integrates with most music services including Apple Music. Google’s Nest Audio sells for $99 and is the value pick — solid sound, Google Assistant, and deep integration with Google services.

HomePod 2 wins on raw sound quality for Apple Music subscribers and HomeKit households. The spatial audio implementation is best-in-class, and the automatic room tuning is more reliable than either competitor. It loses on voice assistant smarts (Siri was the weak point until iOS 27) and on cross-platform support. For shoppers already in the Apple ecosystem with an Apple TV 4K, an iPhone, and HomeKit devices, the HomePod is the obvious choice. For households split between Android and iOS or those deeply invested in Alexa routines, the Echo Studio remains the better fit.

What to Expect From the HomePod Mini 2 and New HomePod

Bloomberg’s reporting and 9to5Mac’s supply chain sources converge on a similar roadmap. The HomePod mini 2 will keep the same spherical form factor but upgrade to an S9 chip (or newer), add Wi-Fi 6E support, and gain the ability to run on-device Apple Intelligence requests — closing the Siri gap with Echo and Nest. Pricing is expected to stay at $99, with launch likely in October or November 2026.

The full-size HomePod refresh is less defined. The smart home hub with a 7-inch display is a separate product at a rumored $350 price point, designed to be the always-on controller for HomeKit devices. The new full-size HomePod is expected to launch alongside the HomePod mini 2 and pick up the same S9-class chip and Wi-Fi 6E. Pricing is rumored to remain in the $299-349 range. Both devices will require iOS 27 on a paired iPhone, which means the current HomePod 2 and original HomePod mini will not be left out of the new Siri AI features — they will simply run the cloud-side version rather than the on-device version.

Our Take

HomePod has spent the last three years as Apple’s most underappreciated product — a genuinely excellent speaker that was always one software update away from being great. iOS 27’s Siri AI is that update, and the fall 2026 refresh is the hardware to match. The 2.22x search spike is not nostalgia. It is shoppers reading the same Bloomberg and MacRumors reports and concluding that this is finally the year Apple’s smart home push is real.

The right move depends on your timeline. If you are starting fresh, wait four to six weeks for the HomePod mini 2 and the new full-size HomePod to be announced officially. Apple’s September 2026 event set the software stage, and the hardware reveal typically follows within 30-60 days. If you already own a HomePod 2 or HomePod mini, do not upgrade — your existing hardware will pick up iOS 27’s Siri AI features through the cloud and remain supported. If you are switching from Echo or Nest and want the best Apple-made speaker today, the HomePod 2 at $249 on sale is a strong buy that you can pair with the new smart home hub when it ships later this year.

Source:

• MacRumors — Apple’s 2026 Smart Home Lineup: New Apple TV, HomePod, and Home Hub
• 9to5Mac — HomePod mini 2: Release date, features, price, and rumors
• MacRumors — Three New Apple Home Products Rumored for 2026
• Macworld — Apple HomePod Rumours: HomePod mini 2, HomePad & HomePod Touch
• AppleInsider — HomePod mini 2: Everything We Know So Far via iGeeksBlog