Wesley Hilliard
Apple has been long rumored to be working on a HomePod with a full touch display that can show more than a waveform, and a new leak offers a look at the potential glossy display glass.
The HomePod and HomePod mini have a touch-sensitive glass surface, but it is a simple pane of LEDs showing a waveform. Rumors suggest Apple could upgrade the HomePod with a full touch display with a GUI similar to Apple TV, but nothing has been announced.
An alleged part image leaked by X user @Kosutami_Ito shows what appears to be the top assembly for a new HomePod display. There's no way to know how big the glass is without a point of reference, but the leaker says it shows a glossy display cover.
A previous leaked image showed what looks like a normal Homepod with a top glass capable of showing images. Other leaks have suggested that a 7-inch display is possible, but the top glass on a HomePod is nowhere near that size, so the leaks appear to reference two different design directions.
New picture of the (might be upcoming one) HomePod with display.
— Kosutami (@Kosutami_Ito) April 18, 2024
Glossy, sick, just imagine.#Apple #appleinternal (B720) pic.twitter.com/xMTULXpGw0
Like the previous HomePod leak, this part is sourced from the project labeled B720. It appears that this model would look like a HomePod does today, just with a display on top.
Kosutami is a known leaker that collects design validation test products and other such pre-production items. The leaker has a short history with accurate leaks like USB-C components for iPhone 15, but also some misses like with a supposed iPhone 15 Pro black Thunderbolt cable. They've also leaked information about the iPhone 16's new battery specs and heat sink.
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4 Comments
I’m excited to see exactly how the next HomePod will be different than the present one (other than the presumably more interactive screen), and if they can persuade me to give up my present set of full-size OG HomePods. They already do everything I want them to do (which is, primarily, give me the answers to simple questions “what’s the weather for tomorrow” and “set a timer for 45 minutes” and “how much is XX dollars in [foreign currency]”).
This would not be helpful to me as described because my HomePods are on a shelf over my head. I would prefer a screen in the front.
The display doesn't interest me as mine Gen 1 HPs are on a shelf out of normal foot traffic. Will the new HPs have something that interests me? Not likely. I'm sure there will be cool features, but nothing that will make me pop for new ones.
I'm waiting to throw the switch on an AVPro, so most any other Apple gear will distract me from that goal.
I’d like to have a display of what’s playing now and what’s coming up next, including videos, lyrics, animations, something customizable between the screens at Starbucks and the Shazam displays. And instead of a tiny screen on a speaker, it should be a “now playing” app that can run on an AppleTV, an iPhone/iPad, or a dedicated screen, or even better some third party inexpensive screen, why not.
Like @"slow n easy" said not everybody has a use for a screen that’s sitting on top of a speaker.
Of course improving the performance of AirPlay 2 would also be nice, because last time I tried to stream to three simultaneous targets it collapsed after 2 songs.