- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Updates
- Comparison
- Best Speakers
- Conclusion
- Discussions
We've currently tested two Apple speakers. Apple is a brand known for making phones, laptops, and tablets, though they've also made some speakers. Generally, their speakers have built-in Siri capabilities, making them suitable for home use.
Updates
- 12/14/2021 Apple HomePod updated
- 12/13/2021 Apple HomePod mini updated
Best Apple Speakers
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Best Apple Speaker
BluetoothNoWi-FiYesSpeakerphoneYesVoice AssistantYesBattery PoweredNoThe Apple HomePod Mini is the best Apple speaker that we've tested. This small speaker is designed for home use, has Siri built-in, and understands your commands from far away and in noisier settings. Its balanced mid-range ensures vocals and lead instruments are clearly and accurately reproduced in the mix, though higher-pitched vocals and instruments may sound a bit dull and veiled. While it doesn't get very loud, there isn't much compression present at max volume, so your audio sounds clean during louder listening sessions. It also has outstanding directivity thanks to its 360-degree design, so its soundstage is perceived as wide and natural-sounding. You can use its Apple Home App to pair it to another compatible speaker to create a stereo pair. Also, you can use it to connect it to multiple other speakers when you want your audio to fill a large room without increasing its volume.
Unfortunately, like most small speakers, it struggles to reproduce the deep thump and rumble in low-bass that fans of bass-heavy music tend to enjoy, and there isn't a graphic EQ or presets you can use to tweak its sound to better suit your preferences. Also, you can't pair your device to the speaker over a Bluetooth connection. You can also only use Bluetooth connectivity for audio handoff, which allows you to transfer your audio from your device to the speaker by tapping your iPhone on top of the speaker. That said, if you're looking for an Apple speaker, it's still a good choice.
Compared to other brands
- Compatible with Apple AirPlay. Generally, Apple speakers support Apple AirPlay, so you can pair your iPhone to the speaker to wirelessly play audio content. The speaker and your iPhone both need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network to use Apple AirPlay.
- Built-in voice assistant. Apple speakers typically come with a built-in Siri voice assistant. Siri can usually understand you, even if you're far away, though some Apple speakers perform better in noisier environments than others.
- Good soundstage. Generally, the Apple speakers we've tested have incredible directivity thanks to their 360-degree design, resulting in soundstages that are perceived as open and spacious. However, some Apple speakers have to downmix stereo content into mono.
- Can't easily stream audio content over Bluetooth. Apple speakers don't support Bluetooth pairing for playing audio content. However, you can use Bluetooth for audio handoff, which lets you transfer audio from your iPhone to the speaker. If the speaker and your iOS device are on the same Wi-Fi, you can stream audio content using this configuration.
- No EQs. The Apple speakers we've tested don't have an EQ to let you tweak their sound profile. That said, they have fairly balanced sound profiles out-of-the-box.
- Wired design. The Apple speakers we've tested need to be plugged into a power source to be used, so they're more suitable as home speakers than as portable speakers.
- Not impact or water-resistant. Since the Apple speakers we've tested are generally designed for home use, they aren't impact or water-resistant. They typically aren't rated for dust resistance.
Overall, Apple speakers are generally designed for home use, with a wired design and built-in Siri voice assistant. However, they typically don't come with an EQ and are hard to pair with devices over Bluetooth.
Notable Mentions
- Apple HomePod: The Apple HomePod is a Home speaker that offers excellent voice assistant support with Siri built-in and has no trouble understanding your commands from far away and in noisier environments. It has a well-balanced sound profile, making it suitable for listening to a wide variety of audio content. Unfortunately, It's been discontinued and may be difficult to find in new condition. See our review
Recent Updates
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Oct 20, 2021: Moved the Apple HomePod to the Notable Mentions since it's been discontinued. Updated the text for consistency.
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Jun 22, 2021: Verified text accuracy and product availability. There have been no changes in our recommendations.
Conclusion
Apple speakers generally have a Siri voice assistant built-in and need to be plugged into a power source to be used. They're compatible with Apple AirPlay for streaming audio content from an iPhone, but you can't easily pair them with devices via Bluetooth. Typically, they're not water or impact-resistant since they're designed for home use.