According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple could be working on a new HomePod device that would feature a built-in display for 2024. The rumor seems to be based on third-party supply chain companies, such as Tianma, a Chinese display manufacturer.
This new product in the HomePod lineup would look completely different from existing HomePods as it would feature a 7-inch display. In other words, it would look like a speaker with a small tablet (or a small tablet with a speaker) like the toptechtrends.com/2020/09/24/amazon-redesigns-the-echo-line-with-spherical-speakers-and-swiveling-screens/”>Amazon Echo Show or Google’s toptechtrends.com/2018/10/22/google-home-hub-review/”>Nest Hub.
Kuo believes that Apple is in the middle of revamping its smart home strategy with new devices and features. In addition to the HomePod Mini, Apple recently released a toptechtrends.com/2023/01/31/apple-homepod-2023-review/”>new premium HomePod with a familiar look. It looks like the model that debuted in 2018 but with brand new internal components.
There’s a reason why Apple is focusing more on the smart home. toptechtrends.com/2023/01/10/why-the-matter-logo-was-everywhere-at-ces-2023/”>Matter, a new smart home standard, is supposed to unify smart home devices — and Apple is one of the launch partners. The new HomePod supports Thread, the Matter-backed wireless protocol specifically designed for IoT devices.
“The new Matter smart home connectivity standard gives users more choice and interoperability to connect a wide variety of smart home accessories across different ecosystems,” Apple’s vice president, Hardware Engineering and Operations Matthew Costello toptechtrends.com/2023/02/02/apple-hardware-vp-matthew-costello-on-the-homepods-return/”>told TechCrunch’s Brian Heater last month. “With support for Thread, the new HomePod can serve as a border router and securely enable communications to Thread-based accessories located throughout the home.”
Apple is also the company behind the iPad. Adding a touchscreen display to a smart speaker would make sense for the company as many people already use and like their iPad. It would be a familiar interface and could also potentially run some popular iPad apps out of the box.
In January, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said that Apple has also been working on a smart display that could be used to control your smart home. Essentially, it would be a low-end iPad that you could mount on a wall to control your lights, thermostat and more.
It’s unclear whether Ming-Chi Kuo are talking about the same device or not. This smart home tablet could carry the HomePod brand, or Apple could be working on two separate devices — a wall-mounted tablet and a countertop HomePod with a tablet.
toptechtrends.com/2023/03/10/apple-could-reportedly-release-a-homepod-with-a-display/”>Apple could reportedly release a HomePod with a display by toptechtrends.com/author/romain-dillet/”>Romain Dillet originally published on toptechtrends.com/”>TechCrunch
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