Apple will release a new HomePod mini and updated HomePod model
According to Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, Apple is supposedly working on “at least four” new smart home products, including a HomePod 2, an updated HomePod mini, and a number of never-before-seen products. Even if Gurman is correct, a smart display for the kitchen and a device for the living room that connects an Apple TV, camera, and HomePod isn’t likely to make it to market alongside the new HomePod and HomePod mini.
It sounds to us like Apple’s answer to Amazon’s Echo Show home assistant, which has a screen that “resembles an iPad,” is the second of the two devices described as smart speakers. It is the first time either device has been mentioned in detail online, though rumors of a speaker-sized Apple TV(opens in new tab) have been circulating for several months now – and Gurman writes that at least one of them could arrive late next year or in early 2024. “
Gurman had previously joined Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in reporting the HomePod 2’s (codenamed B620) ongoing development. With the same S8 chip, it’s expected to arrive by year’s end, along with the Apple Watch 8. Even though we expect a new design and support for Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio, we don’t know for sure what improvements a redesigned HomePod mini will bring (a feature that its bigger brother has).
There were reports that Apple discontinued the HomePod’s main model in March last year to focus on ensuring that its mini model would continue to sell well in the year following its October 2020 debut. This is why it was surprising to hear that the original HomePod might be getting an upgrade before the mini – even though both devices now appear to be in line for an upgrade.
This year or early in 2023, the HomePod 2 (or whatever Apple ends up naming it) is expected to arrive. Visit our dedicated hub to see everything we’ve learned so far about a follow-up to Apple’s flagship smart home device.