Apple just launched a revised HomePod earlier this year, but rumors are already swirling about the company launching its next big smart home. And if the speculations are correct, we could see a radically new type of HomePod hit the market in early 2024.
The rumor comes from an industry analyst Ming Chi Kuo. According to Kuo, the upcoming HomePod will feature a 7-inch touchscreen panel and will be designed to allow easier integration with other products in Apple’s lineup. In other words, it looks like a smart display — which isn’t revolutionary, but it will be Apple’s first smart display.
The current HomePod uses a small circular screen to control the action, though very little information actually appears on the touchscreen.
Kuo’s report matches reports earlier this year that Apple is deeply into developing an iPad-like device for its smart home catalog. Unfortunately, the latest rumors don’t give us more details about what Apple’s smart display will look like, but they reliably lend to previous reports. And given that Apple is a big supporter of Matter, it only makes sense that it would offer competition to the Google Nest and Amazon Echo smart range.
While we’re still shedding light on details of the rumored HomePod smart display, Kuo mentions that its display will likely be produced by Tianma, a company that “specializes in providing state-of-the-art display solutions.” Apple displays are always near the top of their class, so it will be interesting to see if this new smart home product follows this trend and does something unique to separate itself from other smart displays on the market.
Expect to learn more about Apple’s seven-inch HomePod as we head into 2024.
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