Facebook-owned messaging app WhatsApp was today updated with expanded support for CarPlay . ‌CarPlay‌ users are able to more easily call and message their friends and family members in WhatsApp directly from the car interface. WhatsApp had ‌CarPlay‌ integration before, but with limited Siri-based functionality. The new app has a full native ‌CarPlay‌ interface with a list of recent chats and call history, along with a tab for favorite contacts. There are quick access buttons for sending a message via dictation or placing a call, which makes it easier to communicate. The updated WhatsApp ‌CarPlay‌ app has been in testing since last week. WhatsApp users can access the new ‌CarPlay‌ app by updating WhatsApp on the iPhone to the latest version and then connecting the device to a CarPlay-compatible vehicle. Related Roundup: CarPlay Tag: WhatsApp Related Forum: HomePod, HomeKit, CarPlay, Home & Auto Technology This article, " WhatsApp Gets New CarPlay App " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
The $99 HomePod mini is now over 2,000 days old , which means it has been five and a half years since it received a meaningful update. Apple is working on a new model, but launch rumors have come and gone due to Siri issues. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple introduced the ‌HomePod mini‌ in October 2020, and refreshed the color options in 2021, but it is way overdue for a more substantial refresh. Here's what we know about what's coming. Design It doesn't sound like Apple is going to update the ‌HomePod mini‌'s design. There are no rumors of a revamped look or changes to the shape, so the ‌HomePod mini‌ 2 will look a lot like the original model. We are expecting new color options for the ‌HomePod mini‌, and Apple has tested a red color, so that could be one of the shades we get. Chip Update The current ‌HomePod mini‌ uses the S5 Apple Watch chip, which is old at this point. The next model is going to use the S9 chip or later, so it will have more power for computational audio and other audio features that require a processor. The S9, S10, and S11 are all basically identical, so performance will be about the same regardless of which one Apple chooses. Apple Watch chips are much lower power than iPhone, iPad , and Mac chips, but the S5 to S9 or later is still a huge jump. New Features Apple hasn't released the new ‌HomePod mini‌ because it's supposedly waiting on the new version of ‌Siri‌. ‌Siri‌ was supposed to get an Apple Intelligence update this spring, but it now looks like we'll be waiting until the September iOS 27 launch. The ‌HomePod mini‌ will run the updated version of ‌Siri‌, so it should be a much more capable device than the current model for doing everything from suggesting music to controlling smart home products. N1 The ‌HomePod mini‌ 2 could get Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, but Apple hasn't included it in some lower-cost products, so it's not entirely clear if it will be included. Either way, the ‌HomePod mini‌ should get at least Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. The N1 has Thread support too, but the ‌HomePod mini‌ already includes Thread. UWB 2 A newer Ultra Wideband chip could be included, improving UWB features like Handoff for transferring music from an iPhone to a HomePod and vice versa. Big HomePod Apple could also be planning an update to the full-sized HomePod , which would presumably get the same feature set as the ‌HomePod mini‌. The ‌HomePod‌ was last updated in January 2023, which is when Apple reintroduced the larger-size option. Launch Date We may not see a new ‌HomePod mini‌ until September 2027 when the updated version of ‌Siri‌ debuts in ‌iOS 27‌. The ‌Apple Intelligence‌ version of ‌Siri‌ is the backbone for several new home-focused Apple devices like a smart home hub and a new Apple TV that's in the works. Related Roundup: HomePod mini Tag: HomePod Mini 2 Buyer's Guide: HomePod Mini (Don't Buy) Related Forum: HomePod, HomeKit, CarPlay, Home & Auto Technology This article, " What's Happening With the HomePod Mini 2? All the Current Rumors " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
