Apple to Launch Redesigned HomePod with 7-Inch Display in 2024, Says Analyst
According to a recent post by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on Medium, Apple will release a redesigned HomePod with a 7-inch display in the first half of 2024. The display is expected to facilitate deeper integration with other Apple hardware products.
Tianma will reportedly be the sole supplier of the redesigned HomePod’s display, and if all goes well, the company may also be entrusted with supplying iPad panels in the future.
This news follows reports from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in 2021, suggesting that Apple is working on new HomePod models with displays and cameras, and is exploring multi-touch functionality for the device. There are also indications that Apple is rethinking its smart home strategy and is reportedly working on a combined Apple TV and HomePod device, as well as a HomePod with a screen mounted on a robotic arm.
The HomePod already runs a variant of tvOS, but there are some indications that Apple is working on a new “homeOS” platform. This news signals that Apple is continuing to invest in the smart home market and is exploring new ways to integrate its hardware products into consumers’ daily lives.