Siri AI on HomePod stops at the new HomePod mini 2. Apple confirmed on 14 October 2026 that the original HomePod mini will not get it, and the first HomePod is not on the list either. I own two first-generation HomePods and three original minis, so every speaker in my home is on the wrong side of that line.

I have pre-ordered an Apple HomeView to see how much the new Siri changes things. It will replace one of my three minis, the one in the kitchen. That was always the plan, to be honest. It has just been a long wait.

Part of my smart home guides, where every speaker, hub and gadget I cover sits in one place.

Which HomePods get Siri AI?

The home list is short. Siri AI is built into the new Apple HomeView as a beta in its 27.2 software. It also runs on the new Apple TV 4K. Meanwhile, HomePod mini 2 gets it later, through a free software update that Apple has not dated yet.

Then there is the surprise. Apple says Siri AI also runs as a beta on Apple TV 4K from the second generation onwards. That model came out in 2021.

Sources: Apple's three October 2026 press releases, plus Apple's statement to 9to5Mac for the original HomePod mini.

The original mini nearly made it, briefly. A CNET report on 14 October said it would get Siri AI later this year. However, CNET then corrected the story, and Apple told 9to5Mac that Siri AI on the mini is for HomePod mini 2 only.

The full-size HomePod (2nd generation) is in limbo. Apple has said nothing. Still, MacRumors spotted image text on Apple's own store describing a Siri AI glow on top of it. So that one might follow.

Why the old Apple TV makes the line look odd

This is the bit that bothers me. The 2021 Apple TV 4K runs on an A12 Bionic, the chip from the iPhone XS. Apple does not publish its memory, but third-party analysis puts it at 3GB. Yet that box gets Siri AI.

By comparison, Apple's phones need an A17 Pro or later for the new Siri, as Macworld lays out. So a TV box from 2021 qualifies, while a standard iPhone 15 from 2023 does not.

That only adds up if much of the work happens away from the device. And Apple says so itself. On the Apple TV, HomeView and HomePod mini 2, Siri requests can run on the device or on Private Cloud Compute, Apple's own servers. Every one of them also leans on your phone. The owner of the home needs an Apple Intelligence iPhone or iPad, and personal requests go through a paired one.

If a 2021 Apple TV can pass its Siri AI requests to Apple's servers, I struggle to see why a HomePod couldn't.

A cloud Siri AI on older HomePods was possible

This is my opinion, not Apple's. In theory, a HomePod would not need to run the model at all. It would need to listen, send the request on and play back the answer. Old Siri on my HomePods already works that way.

Of course, the S5 in the mini and the A8 in the first HomePod are old chips. So I would expect a lighter version, with fewer features handled on the speaker. But a lighter version is still a version. Instead, original HomePod owners get none of it.

HomeView is not on Apple's newest chip either

HomeView runs on the A18, the chip from the iPhone 16. In contrast, the new Apple TV 4K gets the newer A19. Apple does not list HomeView's memory, although the A18 in iPhones has 8GB. In other words, HomeView sits a generation behind and still gets the full launch. To me, that says the line is drawn around the products Apple sells today, as much as around what older hardware could manage.

As a shareholder, I get it

I own Apple shares, so I understand the business case. The new Siri is the main reason to buy a £149 HomePod mini 2 or a £299 HomeView. Giving it to six-year-old speakers for free would undercut that.

As a customer, I am less keen. In my book, the first-generation HomePod is the best smart speaker ever made. Nothing since has matched its sound for me. Apple stopped selling it in March 2021, but I still use mine every day. Now they are stuck on the old Siri for good.

My plan for five old HomePods

First, the kitchen. One of my three minis lives there, and a HomeView will replace it when it arrives on 13 November. I had always planned that swap, so Siri AI just gave me a reason to stop waiting.

Next, how I paid. I bought Apple Gift Cards in JamDoughnut for 2% back and spent them at Apple. I checked the Apple Store discount on my Lloyds premium account first. Sadly, it had nothing on HomeView.

Finally, the rest stay put. That means two minis and two first-generation HomePods. I doubt the new Siri will be enough to make me replace them. My Siri AI review on iPhone and Mac landed at 3/5, mostly because of connection errors. Once the HomeView has been in my kitchen for a few weeks, I will report back on whether that changes.

Should you upgrade your HomePods for Siri AI?

Not yet, in my view. HomePod mini 2 arrives on 30 October without Siri AI, which follows in an update Apple has not dated. It also has three far-field microphones, down from four on the original, according to 9to5Mac. On top of that, Apple says some server-based Siri AI features come with daily usage limits, with paid access planned later.

So if your speakers still sound good to you, I would wait for reviews of the new Siri on a speaker. For the full specs and UK prices, see my pages on HomePod mini 2, Apple HomeView and the new Apple TV 4K. My Welcome Home event round-up covers what each one needs. And if sound matters more than Siri, my smart speaker comparison puts HomePod against Sonos and Echo.

Siri AI on HomePod: FAQs

Will the original HomePod get Siri AI?

No. The first-generation HomePod from 2018 is not on Apple's Siri AI list. Apple stopped selling it in March 2021, and it stays on the old Siri.

Is Siri AI coming to the first HomePod mini?

No. Apple told 9to5Mac on 14 October 2026 that Siri AI on the mini is for HomePod mini 2 only. An earlier CNET report said otherwise, but CNET corrected it.

Which Apple TV models get Siri AI?

Apple TV 4K from the second generation onwards, as a beta in tvOS 27.2. That covers the 2021, 2022 and new 2026 models. The owner of the home needs an Apple Intelligence iPhone or iPad.

Does the HomePod 2nd generation get Siri AI?

Apple has not said. Image text on Apple's store mentions a Siri AI glow on the full-size HomePod, so support may follow, but nothing is confirmed.

When does HomePod mini 2 get Siri AI?

Later, through a free software update. The speaker itself arrives on 30 October 2026 at £149, without Siri AI on day one.

Do I need an iPhone for Siri AI on a HomePod?

Yes. On HomePod mini 2, the owner of the home needs an Apple Intelligence iPhone or iPad with Siri AI turned on. Without one, other people can still use the general knowledge features.

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