Apple has added Mac system audio output to the HomePod mini 2 — but only if your Mac supports Wi-Fi 6E and you’re running a future version of macOS Golden Gate. The feature, confirmed by AppleInsider and tied to the HomePod mini 2’s October 30 launch, lets notification chimes, system alerts, and desktop sounds route through the speaker in real time, not just media playback via AirPlay. That’s new. Previous HomePods, including the second-gen full-size model, could already do this, but the mini couldn’t. Now it can. And yes, stereo pairing works: two HomePod mini 2 units can is a matched left-right system for Mac audio. No word on whether spatial audio or Dolby Atmos passthrough is supported. AppleInsider doesn’t mention either. The setup lives in System Settings → Sound, but isn’t live in Golden Gate as of October 14. It’ll arrive with the HomePod mini 2’s software rollout. You’ll need a Mac from 2023 or later. Specifically one with M3 or newer silicon, since that’s when Apple introduced Wi-Fi 6E support. Older Macs, even with macOS Golden Gate, won’t qualify. The HomeView display speaker? Not eligible. It accepts AirPlay media, but not system audio routing. Price and availability match the existing HomePod mini lineup: $129 in the US, ₹12,900 in India, though Apple hasn’t confirmed whether the mini 2 carries the same sticker. The S10 chip upgrade and Sound Glow visual feature. Which pulses and color-matches album art, are confirmed. Launch date: October 30.
HomePod mini 2 Mac System Audio Support
HomePod mini 2 gains Mac system audio output — but only on Wi-Fi 6E Macs shipping from 2023 onward.
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The Gadgets Desk · (1 hour ago)
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