"HomePod mini" 1 month review | Existence that can be said sincerely that it was good to buy

More than a month has passed since the start of use of the “HomePod mini,” which was introduced as the best buy of 2020.

My honest impression is that there are good points, but there are also things that bother me.

I think there are some people who are considering purchasing, so I would like to introduce the points specifically.

iPhone 12 Pro and HomePod mini changed the world | I'm glad I bought this

What you can do with HomePod mini

With HomePod mini, you can do the following.

It covers most of what a typical smart speaker can do. In addition to that, the integration with Apple products is a deviation, calling Siri to find the iPhone, bringing the iPhone closer to transferring music.

These are features that Amazon's and Google's smart speakers don't support, and why you should choose the HomePod series. For me, who often loses my iPhone at home, it's like a companion.

The most frequently used function is "listen to music".

You can listen to the latest music without subscribing to Apple Music

I didn't know it when I bought it, but when I call my HomePod mini to play music, only Apple Music is available. Yes. Spotify and Amazon Music are not supported.

However, when I thought, "Isn't it possible to enjoy music without subscribing to Apple Music?", it seems that I was mistaken.

We found that you can enjoy the following artists' songs for free with Apple Music's radio function.

You can listen to the songs of artists who have lifted the so-called subscribing ban on the radio function, so there is no need to worry even if you have not subscribed. It's never too late to subscribe to Apple Music.

My family and I are satisfied with the radio function, so we are not thinking about subscribing at the moment. Besides, there is another way.

Use AirPlay to play music from Spotify and YouTube

While you can't call Spotify or Amazon Music with "Hey Siri," that doesn't mean you can't use them at all. With AirPlay and Handoff, you can stream music from your iPhone or iPod.

How to do it is very simple, just play music on Spotify and start AirPlay. After that, switch the speaker to the HomePod mini and the sound will be transferred.

Similarly, with Handoff, simply bring your iPhone or iPod close to the HomePod mini and the sound will automatically transfer. Both functions are compatible with Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, and Radiko.

The weak point is that it consumes the power of the iPhone or iPod because it only switches speakers.

So if you want it to run from morning to night, you'll need to charge your device while you use it. If you have an unwanted iPhone or iPod, you can use it as a HomePod music terminal.

The most important thing is the sound quality. It's worth buying just for that.

The reason I keep using it after using it for over a month is because the sound quality is good. Sound quality is important.

The sound that spreads 360 degrees from this sphere is full of realism. I use it in a room of about 6 tatami mats, but it reverberates throughout the room.

That's why it's comfortable and not too noisy. Even when I listen to the radio, my voice is easy to hear and I play it as BGM while doing housework.

Recently, I have more opportunities to work from home, so naturally I have more opportunities to listen to music. If the sound quality is good, the tension will rise a little, so I feel that my work productivity has increased a little.

In addition, families are actively using it, and a 2-year-old child is trying to learn the phrase "Hey Siri" and play music. Over time, it has become a staple in our home.

Three points of concern

There are some points that I noticed while using it.

One is that it doesn't support Spotify. It seems that there are plans to respond in the future, so I would like to wait slowly.

The second is that the cord cannot be removed. As you can see in the picture above, the main unit and the cable are completely connected. Of course, you can't change the color of the cable, but if the cable breaks, you're out.

The third is a soft mesh material. While it's a nice design, I'm worried that it will get dirty with use (it hasn't gotten dirty after a month of use).

At the moment, it's placed in a high place where soy sauce and other sauces won't get on it, but I think it's necessary to clean it regularly to prevent dust from accumulating.

If you are concerned about dirt, black is a good choice.

If you have two, you can enjoy more ways

HomePod mini has become indispensable, but I'm actually thinking about buying a second one. What you can do with 1 and 2 is different! For example, if you want to send messages via intercom, you need two.

Also, if you have two, you can play stereo. I want to connect to Apple TV and watch movies and dramas with the best sound quality.

For those who are still considering purchasing, get the first one. It's a little pricey at 10,800 yen excluding tax, but considering the sound quality, the cost performance is not bad.

I want to read together

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iPhone 12 Pro and HomePod mini changed the world | I'm glad I bought this

Photo: Kengo Shimazu

Source: Apple (1, 2)