There’s been a steady drumbeat of rumors claiming that a successor to the first, full-size HomePod could be on the horizon, potentially even this year.
It’s been more than a year since Apple discontinued the original HomePod. But if anything, Apple’s first smart speaker has surged in popularity since then, and there’s been speculation ever since about whether Apple might release a successor. For now, HomePod users have had to settle for the smaller HomePod mini, which was greeted by mixed reviews upon its unveiling in 2020.
Here’s the latest skinny on the rumored new HomePod, including what it could look like, when it might arrive, and how much it might cost.
Is there a new Apple HomePod coming?
Apple hasn’t said a word about a successor to the original, Siri-powered HomePod, but there’s been growing speculation that a new version of the larger HomePod is in the works.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was among the first to predict a new HomePod, but he was light on details, noting only that “there may not be much innovation in hardware design.”
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman followed up in June 2022 with more specifics, reporting that a new and larger HomePod could soon be on the way.
How big will the new Apple HomePod be?
Again, we haven’t seen much detail on the new HomePod’s precise specifications, but Gurman says that the revamped HomePod will be “closer to the original HomePod in terms of size.”
The first, full-size HomePod measured 6.8 x 5.6 inches (HxW) and tipped the scales at 5.5 pounds, considerably larger and heavier than the 3.3 x 3.6-inch (HxW) and 0.76-pound HomePod mini, which arrived back in November 2020.
What kind of chip will the new Apple HomePod have?
The first HomePod packed Apple’s custom A8 chip, found in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the iPad mini 4, and the fourth-gen Apple TV.
According to Bloomberg’s Gurman, the new Apple HomePod will run on the unreleased S8, the successor to the S7 chip that’s found in the current Apple Watch Series 7.
What kind of audio quality will the new Apple HomePod have?
The first HomePod packed an impressive punch when it came to audio, arriving complete with seven “horn-loaded” tweeters and a high-excursion woofer, with each driver powered by its own discrete amplifier. The newer HomePod mini, in contrast, makes do with a single full-range driver and dual passive radiators.
It’s still not clear what driver configuration the new Apple HomePod will have, but Bloomberg’s Gurman thinks it will boast “audio performance” that’s “closer” to the first HomePod, which should be encouraging news for audiophiles.
Will the new Apple HomePod have a display?
Apple has yet to release a smart display similar to Amazon’s Echo Show devices or Google’s Nest Hubs, sticking instead to its audio-only HomePod and HomePod mini. Could that change with a second-generation HomePod?
There had been some intriguing chatter in 2021 about a potential Apple smart display that would combine an iPad with a HomePod, and in his most recent reporting, Mark Gurman said that the new HomePod will have an “updated display on top” with potentially “multi-touch functionality.” But it’s not clear whether that display could be a larger, iPad-like screen or a much smaller size.
Will the new Apple HomePod function as a HomeKit hub?
Given that Apple has confirmed iPads will no longer function as HomeKit hubs when it releases iOS 16 this fall, and that the first-generation HomePod and the current HomePod mini can function as HomeKit hubs, it’s all but certain that the second-generation HomePod will have that feature. Given Apple’s support for Matter, it’s also a safe bet that any new HomePod will be able to operate as a Thread border router. It was always sort of strange that a mobile device like the iPad could function as a Home hub anyway.
How much will the new Apple HomePod cost?
One of the sticking points of the original HomePod was its price tag: a whopping $349, which Apple eventually chopped to a still hefty $299. The newer HomePod mini, in contrast, costs a more reasonable $99.
Naturally, we still don’t know how much a new HomePod might cost, although it’s hard to believe it will be more than the original’s $349 price point.
When will the new Apple HomePod arrive?
The new Apple HomePod release date is still a question mark, although both Kuo and Gurman say it could be anywhere between this fall and the middle of 2023.
When was the original Apple HomePod discontinued?
Apple nixed the first HomePod from its lineup back in March 2021, suddenly and without explanation, although it’s fair to say that sluggish sales were behind the move.
In the months following its discontinuation, the original HomePod became a highly sought-after item, often fetching prices north of $500. Given the resurgent popularity of the bigger HomePod, it’s less surprising that Apple would seek to resurrect the HomePod mini’s larger sibling.
