Apple’s HomePod could get an iPhone feature you use every day

Those hoping for a revival of the OG HomePod could be in for a treat if recent reports of a return are any indication. A new report now claims that the updated HomePod will not only be more like the original smart speaker than the smaller HomePod mini, but also suggests a big iPhone feature is being added.

Writing in the weekly Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says that Apple is hard at work on an updated HomePod that will be larger than the current HomePod mini, likely ensuring that it sounds more like the original HomePod — thumping bass and all. While the return of Apple’s best-ever HomePod is cause for celebration, Gurman also sweetened the deal by saying that a big iPhone feature could also be part of the speaker’s return.

HomePod could get multi-touch technology, although it isn’t clear what it would be used for at this time.

The HomePod, code-named B620, will run the same S8 chip coming to the watches and will be closer to the original HomePod in terms of size and audio performance rather than a new HomePod mini. The new HomePod will have an updated display on top and there’s even been some talk of multi-touch functionality.

Multi-touch is one of the best iPhone features that many of us take for granted. It allows more than one finger to be tracked on-screen at any given time, something we use for resizing photos, zooming, and more without ever thinking about it. The addition of such a feature to HomePod could be interesting, although we’ll need to see what Apple has planned.

The addition of the same S8 chip that will power Apple Watch Series 8 is also notable, ensuring the HomePod has plenty of processing power for speedy Siri requests and more. Little else is known about the updated HomePod, however, although hopes will surely be high that Apple will launch at a more reasonable price this time around. The original HomePod arrived in 2017 with an eye-watering asking price of $349.

While no firm release information was given, Gurman does suggest that we will need to wait until next year for the smart speaker to break cover.