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Apple’s unique sensible speaker, the HomePod, first went on sale in February 2018, adopted by the HomePod mini in November 2020. The unique HomePod was then discontinued in March 2021, just for Apple to reintroduce the bigger speaker in January 2023, indicating that it wasn’t completed with the sensible speaker market but. And now, rumors are heating up about one other replace to the HomePod coming: a HomePod with a display.
The rumor that Apple intends to launch a brand new HomePod outfitted with a display and mixing options from different Apple gadgets isn’t a brand new one. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote about Apple’s plans for a HomePod with a display again in 2021 when he prompt that Apple was creating “new audio system with screens and cameras”. He additionally prompt {that a} product that combines the Apple TV and HomePod could possibly be on the best way.
Learn on to seek out out what’s in retailer for the HomePod and the way Apple is enhancing its speaker, with rumors indicating that the subsequent mannequin could also be bigger, function a display, and supply the power to host convention calls.
Up to date June 5, 2023 with a report of a “HomeAccessory” gadget showing in Apple software program code.
HomePod with display: Launch date
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman first spoke of Apple’s plans for a HomePod with a display again in March 2021. On the time he claimed that the launch was not imminent. He even warned that the brand new product would possibly by no means hit the market. Nevertheless, over the months and years since that first report, the proof has been mounting that there’s an Apple HomePod with a show within the pipeline.
A Bloomberg report from Mark Gurman again in Could 2021 briefly talked about Apple’s plans to so promote hybrid HomePod merchandise. And in April 2022 Gurman referred to those plans once more, stating that Apple is “completely” nonetheless engaged on a brand new HomePod, which Gurman says will mix a HomePod, Apple TV, and FaceTime digicam right into a single “mixture product will most likely be on the heart of Apple’s method.”
As time has handed increasingly more proof that such a tool is within the works at Apple has emerged, and now it seems like we could possibly be seeing one thing very quickly.
MacRumors reported that Apple software program code refers to a brand new “HomeAccessory17,1” gadget, which could possibly be a reference to a brand new HomePod with a display. This gadget could possibly be launched similtaneously the iPhone 16 within the fall.
Proof that such a product is coming was discovered within the tvOS 17.4 beta in February 2024. The third beta model of tvOS 17.4 references a tool codenamed Z314 that options an A15 chip and runs tvOS. Each the HomePod and Apple TV already run tvOS. In line with a 9to5Mac report, hangtracerd (which is used to debug unresponsive UIs) has additionally been added to the HomePod model of tvOS 17.4, an enormous indication that there can be a HomePod with a show. tvOS 17.5 might arrive as quickly as March 6, 2024. Apple could possibly be set to carry a spring Apple Occasion in late March or April.
In October 2023 there was but extra proof of such a tool when ‘Kotsutami’ posted (in a now-deleted tweet) a picture of what they claimed to be a prototype of the subsequent HomePod with “totally different glass” for the show on the high (which could possibly be used as a touchscreen).
An Engineering construct HomePod frameshell with a very totally different glass on top- it’s set for touchscreen, with black bezel
The design of shell is much like HomePod 2nd gen’s, not the first gen—it stands would possibly determined add 🖥️ for two’s however not eventually, OR it’s subsequent technology pic.twitter.com/W5zRIVGPiK
Kosutami (@KosutamiSan) October 21, 2023
9to5Mac claimed to have sources that verified Kotsutami’s footage as authentic. That website additionally reported that the codename of the HomePod is B720, and that Apple is utilizing a model of tvOS with rewritten Apple Music and Podcasts apps which can be suited to the show of the prototype HomePod which might present colours based mostly on the album artwork whereas audio is enjoying, and present notifications.
Again in March 2023 analyst Ming-Chi Kuo additionally wrote about Apple’s smart-home plans. He indicated that Apple “will unveil a redesigned HomePod that includes a 7-inch panel in 1H24,” and that this gadget “might allow tighter integration with Apple’s different {hardware} merchandise.” Kuo provides the anticipated launch date for the HomePod with a display as the primary half of 2024.
HomePod with display: Why we want one
Apple’s HomePod depends on voice management by way of Siri or AirPlay management by way of an iPhone or iPad. Utilizing Siri to manage HomePod music playback may be irritating and overly advanced because of the sensation that you should know precisely which directions to offer to get Siri to, for instance, skip a observe. Those that choose a visible interface might use their iPhone to manage music playback on their HomePod, with the advantage of with the ability to faucet to Favorite a observe, view observe data and lyrics, management quantity and extra. One drawback of utilizing the iPhone to manage the HomePod is the necessity to have an AirPlay connection, which may result in battery drain.
If Apple added track title and album identify, skip and a favorite button to the show that may make the HomePod infinitely extra useable. Even higher if we might view the lyrics too.
HomePod with a display: Worth
If Apple does launch a HomePod with a display it’ll assist the HomePod compete with gadgets from Google and Amazon which have mixed a speaker with a display for a while, such because the Amazon Echo Present. However it’ll have to be priced favorably to compete in that market.
You should purchase the Echo Present 10 on Amazon U.S. for $249.99 or Amazon U.Ok. for £259.99 and the Echo Present 15 on Amazon U.S. for $239.99 or Amazon U.Ok. for £239.99.)
The usual HomePod at the moment prices $299/£299 whereas the HomePod mini prices $99/£99.
If Apple provides a display to the usual HomePod and removes the present mannequin from sale we might see an identical $299/£299 worth level. There could also be an extended wait earlier than the display involves the HomePod mini.
HomePod with display: Design
In line with Ming-Chi Kuo in March 2023, Apple “will unveil a redesigned HomePod that includes a 7-inch panel” in 2024. That’s not a lot smaller than the iPad mini, which has an 8.3-inch show. (By the way, an replace to the iPad mini is predicted in 2023).
This tallies with what Gurman initially prompt in April 2021. He described a high-end speaker with a contact display that may mix an iPad with a HomePod speaker and a digicam mounted on a robotic arm that might comply with the consumer across the room throughout a video chat. The display would additionally supply multi-touch performance.
To get an thought of how this might look we want solely take a look at the Amazon Echo Present 10, which mixes a show that strikes routinely with Amazon’s speaker. The Echo Present 10 prices $249.99 / £259.99.
Foundry / Jim Martin
Foundry / Jim Martin
Foundry / Jim Martin
Swiss web site Helpful Abovergleich and designer Eric Huismann have created a sequence of idea illustrations of how this new technology of HomePod might look. They’ve give you idea designs for 2 separate gadgets: the HomePod TV (a mix of the HomePod and the Apple TV) and the HomePod Present (a HomePod with a touchscreen show).
Right here’s how they think about the HomePod Present—a speaker with a digicam and a touchscreen—might look.
HomePod with display: Specs and options
We don’t know a lot about what the HomePod with a show will appear like, however right here’s what we anticipate by way of specs and options for the brand new gadget:
Processor
The HomePod that launched in January 2023 featured the identical S7 chip because the Apple Watch Collection 7. We anticipate {that a} HomePod with a display will use a extra highly effective processor, maybe the identical A15 chip because the iPad mini.
Digicam
The brand new HomePod might function a digicam, as is rumored within the Bloomberg piece from 2021. With a digicam integrated into the HomePod, it will be attainable to take part in a video convention utilizing FaceTime with out an iPhone or iPad.
A digicam is also used to acknowledge gestures. Some years in the past a patent was filed that associated to a future HomePod that might interpret 3D hand gestures. That patent describes a HomePod that may “interpret three-dimensional hand gestures as a way of controlling the gadget in order to execute an motion or operate.”
Multi-touch show
We’re hoping that Apple will give us one thing that may compete with the Echo Present, so we are able to view YouTube movies and use apps on the brand new hybrid gadget. Maybe we received’t get the show we hope for, however a extra interactive show than the one we have now at the moment could be nice. We’d wish to see extra than simply quantity controls and a Siri animation.
Will Apple mix HomePod and Apple TV?
A Bloomberg report from Gurman again in April 2021 mentioned Apple’s plans for 2 future Apple merchandise which do appear to point that Apple was no less than contemplating making a HomePod with a display. These rumored merchandise included:
- A product that fuses the HomePod and Apple TV with a digicam that could possibly be used for video conferencing by way of the TV display.
- A product that mixes a sensible speaker with a contact display – it might mix an iPad with a HomePod and mount a digicam on a robotic arm that might truly comply with the consumer across the room throughout a video chat.
Combining the HomePod and Apple TV does appear like one thing that’s being investigated by Apple. The Bloomberg report above mentions it, however that wasn’t the primary indication that one thing like this was deliberate.
In April 2020 it emerged that Apple had switched the software program on the HomePod from iOS to tvOS. Such a transfer might make it even simpler to merge these merchandise sooner or later.
What’s much less apparent is what Apple would obtain by combining the HomePod and Apple TV, these in search of audio enhancements can already use the HomePod because the audio output of their Apple TV.
Swiss web site Helpful Abovergleich did give you an illustration of how this would possibly look (above). They name this one the HomePod TV–the bar below the TV turns into not solely the hub for TV, web, and sensible gadgets but in addition a sound system with assist for requirements equivalent to Dolby Atmos and Apple Lossless.
For extra concepts about how Apple would possibly reinvent the HomePod learn: How the HomePod may be Apple’s new iPod: Enjoyable, fashionable, and easy. Plus, Might Apple’s rumored HomePod truly be a tiny Studio Show? and Why Apple wants a HomePod with a display.
Foundry / Jim Martin
Foundry / Jim Martin
Foundry / Jim Martin
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