Apple this year introduced a new HomePod that looks exactly like the original model announced in 2017 and discontinued in 2021. However, amid rumors of the company working on a new product that combines the iPad, Apple TV, and HomePod into a single device, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has now reported that Apple will announce a new HomePod with a built-in 7-inch display in early 2024.
Redesigned HomePod with a built-in display coming next year
The analyst expects that this HomePod will have a very different design than the current model. Its main difference will be a new 7-inch panel, which will be supplied by the Chinese company Tianma. According to Kuo, the new HomePod with a built-in display will enable “tighter integration with Apple’s other hardware products, marking a significant shift in the company’s smart home strategy.”
Bloomberg reported earlier this year that Apple has been exploring different product ideas to drive its smart home ecosystem. This includes an iPad-like device that can be mounted on walls to control HomeKit accessories, play video, and handle FaceTime calls.
Another more ambitious device being tested internally at Apple is a device that combines the functionality of the iPad, Apple TV, and HomePod. The idea would be similar to the Amazon Echo Show, which is basically a tablet attached to a speaker with a custom interface for quick interactions.
It’s unclear at this point whether Kuo is referring to this all-in-one device or whether Apple is simply planning to add a regular display to the current HomePod form factor.
Some HomePod concepts have already imagined what a display on top of Apple’s smart speaker capable of showing basic information such as media controls and smart home accessories would look like.
What do you think about having a HomePod with a fully functional display? Let us know in the comments section below.
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