Apple has only just launched the HomePod 2, but a sequel has already been reported. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the next HomePod will have a 7-inch screen and act as a hub for your smart home.
Kuo posted Medium (opens in new tab) that the Chinese company Tianma will make the 7-inch screen. The new HomePod “could enable tighter integration with Apple’s other hardware products, marking a major shift in the company’s smart home strategy,” Kuo writes.
He estimates it will launch in early 2024.
It’s a lot like the Amazon Echo Show, which is basically a smart speaker with a screen. Previous reports have mentioned an Apple device that can be wall mounted to work as a smart home hub, a bit like a large iPad. Apple is likely exploring the ground between these two concepts and may want to add Apple TV functionality to the mix.
Apple’s most recent HomePod looks nearly identical to the original smart speaker, which was discontinued in 2021, save for a few minor changes. So the addition of a screen would be a big change of direction.
It would also help differentiate it from Sonos, whose new Era 300 speaker looks like a real rival to the HomePod 2. Apple offers a much wider range of devices than Sonos, so it seems like a good idea to make them more compatible with each other. to make. . Launching a HomePod with a screen could be the most direct route to smart home dominance.
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