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Apple HomePod 2 to Get Sound Glow, Mac Speaker and Surround Sound as New Apple TV 4K and HomeView Deals Start

Apple will bring three free features to its existing HomePod 2, including Sound Glow, default Mac speaker support, and four-HomePod surround sound with the new Apple TV 4K. Early discounts on the new Apple TV 4K, HomeView, iPhone Duo, and other products are also live at Amazon and Best Buy.

AI News Feed · 2026-10-17 02:05

Apple unveiled three new Home products this week: HomeView, HomePod mini 2, and a new Apple TV 4K. There is no new full-size HomePod, but the existing HomePod 2 will get new features through a free software update, 9to5Mac reported.

The first feature, Sound Glow, is coming to HomePod 2 and HomePod mini 2. If a user has an Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhone, the top of the HomePod will light up with colors that match album artwork and pulse in tune with the music. The HomePod mini 2 announcement adds that the top transforms into a visual canvas that glows and pulses in sync with the music, reacting in real time to bass and treble. Album artwork from Now Playing generates a color-matched light experience unique to each song, and users can choose a soundscape such as rain to trigger animations.

The second feature lets users set a HomePod as the default Mac speaker. Apple has long allowed HomePod playback on a Mac through AirPlay, but the new option is intended to provide a more seamless and reliable connection. The feature is compatible with HomePod mini 2 and HomePod second generation, with support on all Mac desktops and laptops with Wi-Fi 6E or later.

The third feature is a surround sound setup exclusive to the new Apple TV 4K fourth generation. Users can set up four HomePods, with two as front speakers and two as rear speakers, for a more immersive audio experience. Apple's press release says home theater surround sound requires four HomePod mini 2 or HomePod second-generation speakers in matching pairs, paired with an Apple TV 4K fourth generation running the latest operating system software. Apple has not confirmed when these features will launch on HomePod, but they are expected with iOS 27.2 and HomePod 27.2 later this month.

On the retail side, Amazon is offering the first discount on Apple TV 4K pre-orders at $289.99 shipped, compared with the regular $300 price. Shipping times at Apple have slipped significantly, and some locations cannot get a pre-order delivered until late November, according to 9to5Mac. Amazon can still deliver the new Apple TV on launch day, November 13, and the same applies to the new Apple TV Siri Remote and HomeView.

HomeView delivery times at Apple are starting to slip into December. Silver has already sold out at Amazon, while the Space Gray and Rose Pink models are listed at $289, compared with the regular $299 price. As of the report, only Starlight, Space Gray, and Rose Pink were available with launch-day delivery on Amazon, and only the latter two carried the pre-order discount. AirPods Pro 3 is also discounted to $199 from $249, while AirPods Max 2 is $449 from $549. Amazon has cut $430 off Apple's 24GB/1TB M5 Pro MacBook Pro, and a more expensive 2TB M5 Pro model is tracking a $600 price drop.

Best Buy is offering iPhone Duo pre-order packages starting at $55 per month, with as much as $1,200 off through trade-ins. The iPhone Duo is set to go up for pre-order at 8 a.m. ET. Unlocked models require going directly to Apple, but Best Buy is competing with monthly carrier plan options and trade-in values, including $1,200 off with an iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max trade. 9to5Mac said the Best Buy offers will be limited to some degree because of carrier options, but they can lower the out-of-pocket cost for Apple's new foldable compared with paying more than $2,000 directly to Apple.

Editor's Summary Apple's existing HomePod 2 is set to gain Sound Glow, default Mac speaker support, and four-HomePod surround sound with the new Apple TV 4K through a free update, expected with iOS 27.2 and HomePod 27.2. Early discounts on the new Apple TV 4K, HomeView, iPhone Duo, AirPods Pro 3, and M5 Pro MacBook Pro are also live at Amazon and Best Buy, with some launch-day shipping and trade-in offers.