Apple is working on an updated version of its HomePod Siri-powered speaker, which could debut sometime in the fourth quarter of 2022 or the first quarter of 2023, says Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo tweeted that a new version of HomePod will debut in 4Q of 2022 – 1Q of 2023, and that “there may not be much innovation in hardware design.” Kuo did not indicate if the new HomePod would be a successor to the HomePod mini or a larger version, like the original HomePod.
Apple would release a new version of HomePod in 4Q22-1Q23, and there may not be much innovation in hardware design. Smart speakers are undoubtedly one of the essential elements of the home ecosystem, but I think Apple is still figuring out how to succeed in this market.
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) May 20, 2022
Kuo’s tweet jibes with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman who has said that Apple is considering a new HomePod that would be sized somewhere between the full-sized original HomePod and the current HomePod mini.
Gurman has also said that Apple is working on smart speakers that are equipped with screens and cameras like the Google Nest Hub and Amazon Echo Show. However, those devices are not expected to launch anytime in the near future.
Gurman suggested last year that Apple was working on combining an Apple TV with a HomePod speaker that could offer a camera for video calls through a connected television set. Gurman later said the device would have other capabilities, including standard Apple TV box functions like watching video and gaming plus smart speaker uses such as playing music and using Apple’s Siri digital assistant.
(Via MacRumors)
