FCC - SoundCore Mini 2

Insider · March 23, 2018, 11:24am

Key Features

Prominent Soundcore branding (vs primarily Anker branding previously)
Bluetooth 4.2 (vs 4.0 previously)
Still uses Micro USB to charge
No aux cable included
First Anker product with True Wireless Stereo pairing mode.
6W output (vs 5W previously)
Claimed 15 hours of battery life (same previously)
No more FM radio or microSD card slot
Model number: A3107 (vs A3101 previously)

Also noticed it still has the old Anker logo at the top

Of course, all of these specs can change before release.

What do you think of the new SoundCore Mini 2? Personally, I think it’s a step in the right direction, but still surprised we don’t have USB-C input…

Tank · January 21, 2018, 5:40pm

Nice to finally see a true stereo capable speaker. I could care less about the usb c, until all products use it it doesn’t bother me

SZak2015 · January 21, 2018, 6:59pm

[quote=“elmo41683, post:2, topic:58192, full:true”]
I could care less about the usb c, until all products use it it doesn’t bother me
[/quote]Same feelings as you about USB-C.

Blotch · January 21, 2018, 8:59pm

Thanks for info. I use my SoundCore Mini daily mainly with mobile, tablet etc. New model looks good, I like stereo pairing mode, shame the FM radio has gone as I use that too! Will be interesting to know how audio compares with original mini - as that would be the main factor for me in upgrading. Although I have to say the original mini is great sounding, and offers more bass than I was expecting from such a small speaker. Not too concerned about lack of USB-C at this time.

thetonyclay · January 22, 2018, 12:30am

Looks great! I have the previous generation and keep it in the bathroom, LOL.

I can understand why you guys may not be too concerned with the lack of USB-C, but if I’m being honest, it frustrates me a little bit. Until manufacturers like Anker and others embrace the universal standard, consumers won’t embrace the universal standard. We should hold their feet to the flame as it were and let them know this is 100% what we want.

I mean, I don’t want to be buying anything but USB-C in 2018. My laptop USB-C, my phone USB-C, and some but not anywhere near all of my accessories USB-C. It would be great if we could just let MicroB die instead of using an old standard /end rant.

Also in the news, I am excited for the upgrade to 6W over the previous generations 5W!

AnkerOfficial · January 23, 2018, 8:50am

@joshuad11

I’m so curious about that how you find out this new product resource.

Anyway, if we found more and more people are bothered by Micro USB charging method, I think we will change it to USB-C charging.

Maybe time will tell the truth.

AndreC · January 23, 2018, 9:21am

I really like mine (sound aesthetics, everything! )

There’s only 1 thing I’m not very happy with…mine is paired to an Amazon Dot. Obviously if not used for a bit it goes into sleep mode. So far so good. If I give Alexa an instruction to play music and the speaker is in sleep mode, it doesn’t automatically wake up and connect to the Dot. I need to physically switch it off and then on again so it could connect.

Any workarounds?

Blotch · January 23, 2018, 10:15pm

No workarounds I’ve found @AndreC, its one of the few Anker speakers that are not fully Dot compatible. I have suggested to @AnkerTechnical that all future speakers are Dot compatible. The SoundCore, SoundCore 2 & Premium A3143 work great (fully compatible) with Alexa/Dot.

Pickering.seth · January 23, 2018, 1:29pm

Great review and love the detailed pics

Insider · January 23, 2018, 10:01pm

Interesting. So what’s the difference? Do the SoundCores not auto sleep?

Blotch · January 23, 2018, 10:16pm

Exactly @joshuad11 some are compatible (those without auto-sleep), while others not so good with Amazon Dot. I only use original SoundCore, SoundCore 2 & A3143 with my Dots. I found the SoundCore Mini, Boost & Pro not compatible due to auto-sleep. However, that said - all Anker speakers work fine with Dot while there is an active connection (playing music etc).

Insider · March 29, 2018, 9:09pm

Finally available in US.

Again, still wish it had BT 5 and used USB-C.

AnkerOfficial · March 29, 2018, 8:04am

We did some market surveys, most of our users are still more used to accept micro-USB port, so we didn’t change this feature.

Insider · March 29, 2018, 9:09pm

Strange… I wonder how many Community members were involved in the market surveys and when they happened.

AnkerOfficial · March 30, 2018, 3:58am

You are all techies in the community, but most of our consumers are ordinary people and their acceptance of tech knowledge may not as rich as you guys.

professor · March 30, 2018, 6:25am

That is a related to balance.

Geeks will angst more about some specifications, I agree with you that you would get an unbalanced perspective.

But.

The Geeks will spot details that you did not spot, a customer would not spot, so you should balance a community response with random consumer response. Combined this gives you a powerful feedback loop to give you a competitive advantage.

I have been consuming what you now call gadgets for over 30 years, and it has always been the case that:

the thing you can predict is the unpredictability
the constant is change

That gives one a humility, that oneself is highly likely wrong most of the time about most things, but if you use your physical attributes in the balance you were born with, of two ears, one mouth and a big brain, so listen then think then speak, is probably less wrong in the long term.

So, Anker, given you know FCC will be posting a product, you know you did not give ask for confidentiality, you know folks like me will spot it, so why not just announce here, with more clarity. I get the fact that products change, if you did not change you would make less good products, but… really… I am announcing your product before you are… really?

netflixfilmy · April 28, 2018, 8:29pm

No microSD card slot is a step backward. I do not like it. Will stay with mine Mini 1. Do not want to waste my phone battery just to play music via bluetooth.

professor · April 28, 2018, 9:08pm

There is no GUI on the Mini 2, there is one on your phone. If you’re worried about phone battery life, well… cough… are you aware of an Anker product called Powercore?

Lots of different shapes, sizes, performance…

I think Anker got the balance right on the Mini 2 vs Mini 1, I never used the SD slot in the Mini 1 as it would just begin at some track in some order and keep going, no ability to “seek” or find. I can do those functions better using my phone. My phone and my tablet has FM radio built in I can tune using its display and I can connect via 3.5mm AUX cable which is the requirement as an antennae anyway, and if power is a concern then use one or two ports of Powercore. It works.

If it is wet, leave the Mini 2 out in the rain, put your phone in a waterproof pouch.

Hard to think of better overall solution.

professor · April 28, 2018, 9:13pm

How did they write their views? On this?

Or were they more sophisticated? On this?

No, best super sophisticated, the most advanced technology known to mankind?

I expect next time you ask whoever you do your market research with they’ll be hyper-evolved:

Insider · May 22, 2018, 2:27pm

There is currently a flash deal on Soundcore Mini 2 @ Amazon US. Down to $29.74 ($5 off, rated 4.5 ) ATTM.