Alongside the new iPhones, Apple has launched a replacement , smaller version of its HomePod smart speaker, powered by the Siri smart assistant, which it hopes will help it better compete with Google and Amazon’s dominant smart speakers.

The original HomePod sounded excellent , but was disappointed by Siri’s limited capabilities and Apple’s restriction of music services to only its own.

The new HomePod Mini has an equivalent S5 processor because the Apple Watch Series 5 to regulate playback and therefore the sound generated by the speaker’s single down-firing driver and two passive radiators. The new speaker also has proximity detection for nearby iPhones equipped with Apple’s U1 chip and Siri can now differentiate between different people via their voice print.

The HomePod Mini will cost £99 within the UK and $99 within the US and ships on 16 November.