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Apple's HomePod Plans: What's in the Works for 2023 and Beyond

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Apple seems to be testing multiple different ideas for future feature additions for the HomePod smart speaker, so we thought we'd highlight all of the different speaker rumors that we've heard so far.

HomePodandMini-feature-blue.jpg

At least one HomePod update is expected in 2023, though we may be waiting longer for some of the more fantastical functionality that we've seen rumored.

Larger-Sized HomePod (2023)

Apple in 2021 discontinued the original full-sized HomePod in order to focus on the more popular HomePod mini, but rumors suggest that Apple is once again ready to try selling a larger HomePod speaker.

homepod-feature-triad.jpg

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said in 2020 that Apple is working on a HomePod that would be larger than the HomePod mini and closer in size to the original HomePod. It could be between the HomePod and HomePod mini in size, sound quality, and cost, offering an option for those who want something bigger than the mini but not as expensive as the first HomePod.

Such a speaker could be priced somewhere around $150 to $200, which would exceed the price of the $99 HomePod mini, but would be more affordable than the $299 HomePod.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in May 2022 said that Apple is designing a new HomePod, but he did not provide specifics on sizing and he said there "may not be much innovation in hardware design" for the new HomePod. It's possible that he was talking about the same middle-tier HomePod that Gurman has mentioned, but with a design similar to the HomePod.

The new HomePod could feature a multi-touch display on the top for physical control purposes, along with an S8 processor, the same processor that's in the Apple Watch Series 8.

Kuo said that the new HomePod could come out in late 2022 or early 2023, while Gurman says the larger HomePod is on track for a 2023 launch.

With 2022 out now that the year is close to over, it's sounding like we could see some kind of new HomePod option in the first quarter of the year, if the rumors are accurate. Apple could, perhaps, pair a new speaker announcement with the launch of Apple Music Classical, a new Apple Music feature that was slated for 2022 but did not come out.

New HomePod Mini (2023)

Alongside the larger HomePod that's in the works, Apple could do a simple refresh of the HomePod mini. New features are not expected, nor are design changes, but updated colors would be easy enough for Apple to debut. If a new HomePod is slated for 2023, it's likely that a minor refresh to the HomePod mini would come at the same time.

homepod-mini-color-bars.jpg

Apple TV and HomePod Hybrid

Apple in the future could combine the Apple TV and the HomePod into one device, creating a set-top box with high-end audio capabilities, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

AppleTV-and-HomePod-Feature.jpg

This HomePod and Apple TV hybrid device could feature a camera for video calls, with a connected TV serving as the screen. It would function like an Apple TV, offering gaming, support for streaming content, and music playback.

The project was described as being in the early stages in 2021, and it is not yet clear if Apple will move forward with it, but it is a design idea that makes a lot of sense because the HomePod mini and the Apple TV both run the same operating system and are often used for some of the same purposes.

iPad and HomePod Hybrid

Apple has been experimenting with future HomePod designs that could include a screen of some kind, akin to the Google Nest Hub Max, the Echo Show, and the Facebook Portal.

HomePod-G4-Feature.jpg

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has described the device that Apple is working on as a high-end HomePod speaker connected to an iPad using a robotic arm. The arm would be able to rotate and move, following a user around the room when on a video call, for a more advanced version of the Center Stage video feature that Apple has added to some of its products.

The iPad/HomePod hybrid has been described as a device that is in the conceptualization stages, so there is a good chance that this one might never see the light of day. If it does come out, it could launch in the form of deeper integration between a future HomePod and iPad, along with an optional accessory arm to connect the two.

Apple has experimented with deeper integration between products for the past few years. The iPad and the Mac can link together to be controlled with one mouse or trackpad and one keyboard, for example, and the iPhone can link to a Mac to serve as its camera, so it would not be out of the question for Apple to pair the HomePod and iPad in new ways in the future.

Article Link: Apple's HomePod Plans: What's in the Works for 2023 and Beyond
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/12/28/homepod-rumors-2023/
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While the connectivity is a bit wonky at times, I love what the HomePod minis bring to my set up.

I'd certainly be down to buy a larger model, or perhaps two to act as a pair of stereo speakers for my Apple TV.
 
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TheYayAreaLiving 🎗 said:
I wish Apple had never eliminated the original Larger-size Home Pod. Hopefully, they make a comeback in 2023.
Click to expand...
Apple always seem to know what they are doing.

The OG HomePod was too expensive, didnt sell well, and the software wasnt up to scratch including SIRI capabilities when compared to the competition.

It had to go......

But how clever... bring out the mini..... it sounds OK, but create the hunger for the bigger larger more expensive model that never existed before..... absence makes the heart grow fonder after all.

I think it will look like a squat version of the OG, slightly smaller, and a much better audio than the mini.


THAT SAID...

the software is STILL horrible - not so much SIRI but the home app, and the multi room music performance of the minis. Theres no point reintroducing more expensive models that still simply don't work reliably.
 
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I have two paired HPs and two paired minis all hooked up to play together, the SOUND of which is just… everything I want - but they are a pig to manage. I just can’t understand why Apple put so much effort into making them sound great then went and made such a mess of how users might interract with them. I’m now in the strange situation where I have an Apple product which I love but which I could never possibly recommend to anyone else.
 
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I would like an outdoor model that's a bit resistant to the elements.

I had a Mini under my gazebo where it never rained directly, but in the span of May to September it died, most likely from humidity, though it was never rained on directly as I kept a clear plastic cup over it.
 
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The original HP just wasn't competitive enough to be successful. Sure some people liked it, but there were so many options to get a decent speaker that was also a significantly better voice assistant (lol @ Siri) for a lot less money and people ultimately bought them instead.

That's why we have the homepod mini, Apple knew they needed a way more competitive device and it is very good.
 
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I'd pay extra for a Homepod Mini with a rechargeable battery and cable that could be disconnected. I often want to have the Homepod out in my garage but don't want to leave it there permanently. A little more portability would be a great design upgrade.
 
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They really need to focus on improving Siri, first and foremost. It's terrible, especially for a speaker that exists mainly for music playback. There is no reason Siri should be playing an edited version of a song and not the version that's in my Apple Music Library (especially since Explicit Content is enabled for my account).

And the latest 16.2 update has made Airplay janky, like a song will stop playing if you swipe up from the Lock Screen to unlock your phone or if you exit the music app.
 
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I’d pay $299 again and again for the same size and sound of the OG HomePod. Heck, I paid the $349 for my first one. Many folks said they were garbage because no input and price point, but I’ve loved mine from day one.

Bring back full size please not just something in between the OG and mini!
 
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As silly as it sounds I think they need to make them more for fun for kids. Mother in law had an Alexa which can do 40 different types of fart sounds which my kids love.. as a result, Santa delivered an Alexa! It bugs me having to have an Amazon product in the house.. come on Timmy make the home pod do fart sounds
 
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