Skip to main content

Leaked images shows what Apple's HomePod with a display might look like

While we didn't particularly note the benefits that a display would bring in our HomePod 2 review, Apple seems determined to add a screen to its smart speaker, with new rumors emerging that suggest that's the plan for the HomePod 3.

This comes from Apple enthusiast @KosutamiSan on X (the social network previously known as Twitter), and apparently the images are of a prototype speaker device that Apple has been working on.

According to sources speaking to 9to5Mac, this prototype is still being actively developed, though "Apple hasn't yet decided" if there will actually be a launch. The device codename is said to be B720, for future reference.

The 9to5Mac report also adds that tweaks have been noticed in certain tvOS apps so that they can run on screens of a different aspect ratio – and that's significant, bearing in mind that the current HomePods run a modified version of tvOS.

See more

The story so far

This isn't the first time that rumors of an Apple smart display based on the HomePod have appeared. Back in March, well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that a HomePod with a display would be out at some point during 2024.

In fact, the story goes back even further, to February 2022: Siri was noticed to be slipping up by mentioning a HomePod display of some sort, and that was before the HomePod 2 was unveiled in January 2023.

As it turned out, the HomePod 2 design was very much along the same lines as the original HomePod, and there was no screen attached. Nevertheless, it seems certain that Apple is at least considering adding to its range with a smart display.

Amazon and Google already have their own smart speakers with displays attached, and Apple definitely has the hardware and software nous to build a HomePod with a screen on the top – so watch this space.

You might also like



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The latest Apple TV 4K test lets you watch four sports streams at once

Apple is trying something new with the latest beta version of tvOS 16.5: the option to watch up to four simultaneous streams at once. Right now it's limited to live sports streamed through the Apple TV app on the Apple TV 4K , specifically MLB Friday Night Baseball and the MLS Season Pass. A multi-view option was spotted in the tvOS software last month, but the code was hidden and not enabled. MacRumors reported that the feature would be enabled this weekend, and beta testers have since been able to use it. As yet multi-view hasn't been officially announced by Apple, but it's expected that tvOS 16.5 is going to be pushed out in its final form within the next month or so. WWDC 2023 is around the corner as well, when we should be hearing about the next major updates for Apple's various operating systems – including tvOS 17. How it works Over at 9to5Mac there's a hands-on demonstrating how the multi-view feature works, and it's pretty much as you would expe...

Quantum computers are fast becoming cheaper and smaller — and they could be coming to a data center near you very soon

IonQ claims we’re closer to widespread enterprise quantum computing deployment as it lifted the lid on two rack-mounted models that can be deployed on-premises.   The startup has built the fourth-generation #AQ35 IonQ Forte Enterprise and fifth-generation #AQ64 IonQ Tempo, both of which are designed to be deployed in enterprise and government data centers. It’s also said it is deploying two quantum computers to the US Air Force.  While revealing these two models, IonQ co-founder and CTO Jungsang Kim said quantum computers are already in use by enterprises to churn through machine learning workloads. This, he added, suggests we’re much closer to readily available and affordable machines. Priming enterprises for a quantum future “We believe in the enterprise-grade quantum computing, which is where it can be something of value for enterprises, can happen in the next few years as we build powerful enough quantum computers that can actually do things that classical computers w...

Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU could get cheaper with a new version – but don’t get your hopes up

Nvidia’s RTX 4080 is purportedly getting a new spin on the GPU which could reduce the cost, but any price reduction will likely be very minor, sadly, if it happens at all. Tom’s Hardware flagged up this rumor – and treat it with caution, as with anything from the ever-spinning mill – that originated from HKEPC (a tech site in Hong Kong), claiming that while the current RTX 4080 graphics card is built on the AD103-300 chip, Nvidia is going to use a slightly different GPU in the future, namely AD103-301. There’s now more evidence this is actually happening, Tom’s points out, courtesy of a graphics card maker, Galax, which under its RTX 4080 product details lists the GPU as ‘AD103-300/301’. Furthermore, VideoCardz , which also picked up on this, informs us that Gainward, another card maker, has also listed the updated GPU variant AD103-301 in its product specs. With two separate third-party graphics card makers mentioning this new spin on the GPU in their specs, it seems pret...