Four-HomePod surround sound has been rumored for some time, but Apple's compatibility restrictions are tighter than many expected. Apple says room-filling audio is available with a single speaker, a stereo pair, or multiroom audio. When paired with the new Apple TV 4K, the HomePod mini 2 supports four-speaker surround sound, which Apple calls its most immersive home theater setup yet.
The footnotes of the press release are even more specific. Home theater surround sound requires four HomePod mini 2 or HomePod (2nd generation) speakers in matching front and rear pairs, along with an Apple TV 4K (4th generation) running the latest operating system software. Full-sized second-generation HomePods can be included in the setup, though using them as front speakers raises the cost of a surround system to $1000 before the Apple TV hardware, which costs $300. Using four full-size HomePods brings the speaker cost to $1400.
HomePod mini 2 preorders are open now at $149. It comes in pink, green, blue, white, and midnight. Preordered units and in-store stock arrive on October 30.
Source: AppleInsider · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing