MacworldApple is famously good at making customers excited about its new releases, but that doesnt mean the company applies its powers of persuasion to all products equally. As I plan to discuss further in this column next week, excellent-value offerings like the 4th-gen AirPods and the new Mac mini sometimes slip by almost unnoticed while the marketing machine shines its spotlight on costlier alternatives. Occasionally you get hints of favoritism.One product that no longer appears to have Apples full and enthusiastic support is the HomePod. Everything seemed so promising at the start: a cool new product for an exciting new market, a great design and superb sound quality, and all of it accessible from anywhere in the home thanks to the reliable and intuitive assistance of Siri. Oh dear. Whether because of Siris failings or not, things went wrong. Sales evidently werent good enough, and after launching a cheaper (and also very nice) mini model, Apple made the hard decision and killed off the full-sized HomePod. That, we assumed, was that. Until it wasnt.Its hard to feel confident in a product when the maker stops selling it for almost two years, before slinking back with a second version that looks exactly like and fails to solve any major problems with the first. And when the product doesnt seem to have evolved at all in the seven years since it came out, having never given the impression of understanding the smart speaker market or the fact that a (very good) speaker with bad voice controls wont really cut it in 2025.In 2025, in fact, the HomePod may get with the times. Most importantly it needs a better voice assistant, and that means one thing: Apple Intelligence. If we get a new HomePod with the hardware to run Apples AI platform, that could mean a Siri that plays the correct track more often than not: a Siri, in other words, that knows its arias from its Elbow. And once youve got that, any further upgradesa functional display, for examplewould be merely icing on the cake.But if this suggests that I dont like the current HomePod, I had better correct that assumption. Call me sentimental but I am very fond of the HomePod, as erratic and old-fashioned as it undoubtedly is. I love the way it looks and the way it sounds, and after years of practice, Ive learned to work around the flaws of its control system without getting angry more than two or three times a week. As for the mini well, it might just be the best Christmas gift you can buy in the Apple store right now.At $99/99 and available in a range of stunning colors that are inexplicably denied to buyers of the full-size model (I recommend the orange), the HomePod mini is a brilliantly affordable way to brighten a room and fill it with beautiful audio. The bass punch doesnt quite live up to its larger sibling, but the audio quality is nevertheless superb for the size and price. Its easy to set up, and the physical design means you can easily move it from room to room as the fancy takes you. Its just a really nice thing. Or a pair of things, if you can afford to buy two and set them up in glorious stereo. (Please do.)Christmas, after all, is the time when we remember those less fortunate than ourselves, the neglected members of society who have fallen through the cracks. The HomePod mini may have been forgotten by its maker, but theres still time for you to find a place in your home for one of these noble creatures. Merry Christmas!FoundryWelcome to our weekly Apple Breakfast column, which includes all the Apple news you missed last week in a handy bite-sized roundup. We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a Monday morning cup of coffee or tea, but its cool if you want to give it a read during lunch or dinner hours too.Looking ahead to 2025: End of year special!Here are 5 exciting products that will shape Apples 2025and beyond.iPhone in 2025: The upgrades weve been waiting for are finally coming.The Mac in 2025: Small updates and big hopes.In 2025, even Pro users will want Apples cheapest devices.Apple has big plans for the smart home in 2025.Trending: Top storiesApples 2024 full of surprises set up an unpredictable future.The iPhone is doomed because Apple Intelligence isnt smart enough.Your iPhone is now integrated with ChatGPTheres how to use it.Podcast of the weekWith 2024 closing, its time to look forward to 2025. What could we see from Apple in the new year? Thats coming up in the latest episode of the Macworld Podcast!You can catch every episode of the Macworld Podcast onSpotify,Soundcloud, thePodcasts app, orour own site.Reviews cornerFrost Punk 2 review: When the snowman brings the snow.Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition review: Veteran AirPlay speaker gets even better sound quality.OWC Envoy Ultra review: Super-fast Thunderbolt 5 storage.Best antivirus for Mac 2025: Top security software compared.The rumor millThe rumors of a gigantic foldable iPad make no sense.Abracadabra! Apple is working on a new Magic Mouse with proper charging.Software updates, bugs, and problemsThe first iOS update of 2025 is already in testing. Thats right: iOS 18.3 is now in beta!And with that, were done for this weeks Apple Breakfast. If youd like to get regular roundups, sign up forour newsletters. You can also follow uson Facebook, Threads, or Twitter for discussion of breaking Apple news stories. See you next Monday, and stay Appley.