Briefly: Apple is said to be working on a new version of the HomePod speaker as part of its revamped smart home strategy. Renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that a redesigned HomePod with a built-in 7-inch display could be unveiled as early as the first half of 2024. Kuo said Tianma Microelectronics will serve as Apple’s exclusive supplier for the displays used in the HomePod. the new. .
Cupertino seems hopeful that the HomePod with a display will further its versatility, leading to stronger integration with other hardware products.
Apple introduced the first HomePod 2017 and launched it in February of the following year. Initial reviews were mixed, resulting in poor sales out of the gate. This eventually prompted Apple to discontinue the device in March 2021 after launching the smaller and more affordable HomePod Mini.
However, Apple wasn’t willing to give up the full-size HomePod. Early this year, the company launched a new copy The smart speaker featuring a 4-inch subwoofer with 20mm of travel along with an array of five horn-loaded tweeters (each with its own neodymium magnet) and an internal calibrated low-frequency microphone for automatic bass correction. The second generation HomePod also includes four far-field microphones for access to Siri and supports spatial audio via Dolby Atmos. It’s $50 cheaper than the original, at $299.
co Believes Tianma has a golden opportunity. Assuming all goes well with the HomePod displays in development, the supplier could be called upon to provide panels for future iPad models.
Kuo didn’t mention much, but it’s not an exaggeration to imagine that a HomePod equipped with a display will support multi-touch and may also come with at least one camera. If it materializes, it could challenge similar devices like the Amazon Echo Show and Meta Portal for market share.
Image credit: HomePod By Howard Bouchereau smart home by Stefan Pechert
