A series of specifications has surfaced as to a new full-size HomePod that Apple is believed to be working on, complete with a touchscreen display for the first time. The new HomePod is rumored to launch as soon as the first half of this year.
Per noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the HomePod will feature a 7-inch display supplied by China’s Tianma. According to Apple leaker and prototype collector “Kosutami,” the device will purportedly feature a virtually identical design to the second-generation HomePod but with a large LCD touch screen at the top instead of the LED array used on all HomePod models to date.
This report has been subsequently corroborated by other sources, and is said to be in active development under the codename “B720”. Given code references found in tvOS 17, Apple Music and Apple Podcasts are among the first apps being rewritten to be compatible with the new display, which will show a blurred animation based on the colors of the album art when a song or podcast is playing. The screen could also potentially show important notifications.
Back in December, Kosutami leaked additional prototype images, including a curved, convex LCD screen to display content at the top.
The updated HomePod could also feature a new chip, and the 2023 HomePod features the S7 chip, which was also used in the 2021 Apple Watch Series 7.
According to Kuo, the next-generation HomePod’s display could facilitate deeper integration with Apple’s other hardware products, Kuo believes. The updated HomePod could conceivably introduce a lower-latency Handoff experience with the second-generation Ultra Wideband chip used in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. The smart speaker could also include improved audio hardware and microphones, along with specification upgrades like Wi-Fi 6E support.
It’s currently unknown if the touchscreen HomePod will be a direct replacement for the second-generation HomePod or a new, high-end offering in the lineup.
Apple is believed to be rethinking its long-term smart home strategy. It is reportedly working on a combined Apple TV and HomePod device, as well as a HomePod with a screen mounted on a robotic arm.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via MacRumors