Apple is working on a HomePod with a screen, but the release of the new speaker will probably take some time. This is when the new HomePod is likely to appear!
New HomePod with screen
It was already clear that Apple is working on a new HomePod, which will be equipped with a display for the first time. The updated version of the speaker should ensure that the HomePod becomes the center of your (smart) home. You can then watch videos on YouTube or listen to music on Apple Music via the HomePod screen, as well as control all your smart devices.
Also read: Leaked photo shows prototype HomePod with display
The HomePod will probably have a screen with a similar size to the iPad mini. Previously, a new device appeared in tvOS 17.4, running on the A15 Bionic chip. The iPad mini already runs on that processor, making it quite possible that the next HomePod will have an 8.3-inch display. Apple is now running tests for this, but the release will probably take some time.
The next generation of HomePod won’t arrive until 2025
The usually reliable Apple analyst Mark Gurman confirms that Apple plans to release a HomePod with a screen. According to him, we should not expect the new speaker for a while, because the next HomePod will probably not appear until 2025. This is the first time that the speaker runs on tvOS and is equipped with a Bionic chip.
It is not very surprising that the HomePod with a screen will not appear until next year, because Apple released a ‘new’ HomePod in 2023. It seemed that Apple had stopped producing the speaker, but a new generation appeared after all. It had improved sound, but the design remained unchanged. The biggest difference between the two generations is that the HomePod 2023 was released in the Netherlands. That never happened with the first generation.
Possible intermediate step: smaller screen
According to rumors, Apple is working on two new HomePods, one of which has a screen that resembles an iPad mini. The other version has a small LCD screen at the top, where the volume buttons are currently located. While the HomePod with a full screen will have to wait a while, the version with the LCD screen may come soon.
Also read: Apple releases refurbished HomePod (and it is much cheaper)
Apple could then use the HomePod as an intermediate step before the HomePod with an 8.3-inch screen appears. With the small LCD screen you can at least adjust the volume, more functions are as yet unknown. It is quite possible that Apple will unveil the new HomePod next month, when the new iPads and MacBook Air also arrive. Would you like to know more about a possible Apple event in March? Then read here what you can expect!