Hints of HomePod With Screen Found in iOS 26

[MacRumors]

In the fourth beta of iOS 26, there's some curious wording for a HomePod setting that references a HomePod with a display, perhaps hinting at a future product that could come out sometime in the not too distant future.

There’s a location-related setting that has the following wording:

Your HomePod won't be able to show you the local weather, time, or respond to Siri requests about your area.

"Show" is an interesting word for Apple to choose, because right now, the HomePod isn't able to show anything like the weather or the time because it doesn’t have a screen to display the information.

There have been multiple rumors of a HomePod with a display over the last few years, and the screen-equipped HomePod may in fact turn out to be the home hub that Apple has in development.

Rumors suggest that the hub will have an iPad-like display, but with a square shape rather than a rectangular shape. It will be able to control all of your HomeKit and Matter devices, plus it will run Apple apps like Weather, Calendar, Apple Music, Photos, Apple News, and more.

Siri integration is expected, with Siri able to answer questions similar to how the HomePod works. In fact, Apple has reportedly delayed the launch of the home hub due to the issues that it has had developing the Apple Intelligence version of Siri.

There's no clear word yet on when the home hub will launch due to the Siri delays, but we could see it late this year or early next year.

Article Link: Hints of HomePod With Screen Found in iOS 26

 

[MacUserFella]

"Show" is an interesting word for Apple to choose, because right now, the HomePod isn't able to show anything like the weather or the time because it doesn’t have a screen to display the information.

Yes, it cant show it, hence the message Apple has added

 

[1Peace]

Wondering if there is a market for that kind of device.

 

[Godspeed8230]

Is this really something people want or need? I‘d rather use my iPad or iPhone as my hub… In fact, I’d like to have even more control on my Apple Watch.
why add an additional device? what’s the use case here?

 

[verniesgarden]

Is this really something people want or need? I‘d rather use my iPad or iPhone as my hub… why add an additional device? what’s the use case here?

because selling things is what companies do.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Seems like it would be better to make a speaker dock/stand for an iPad... rather than an iPad-like device that will be permanently chained to a table.

At least you could use the iPad away from the table.

I'm not sure we need a dedicated device for "HomeKit and Matter devices, Weather, Calendar, Apple Music, Photos, Apple News..."

🤣

 

[tonie walker]

siri? hard pass

 

[seek3r]

Yes, it cant show it, hence the message Apple has added

One assumes this is a description on a toggle for location services, with the implication being that with it on the hp in question can show these things.

 

[Agent007]

Look at the relative sizes of objects in the render - Giant AirPods and a bucket-o-coffee? Or a demi tasse with its own tiny coaster next to a Leica miniature?

 

[midkay]

Seems like it would be better to make a speaker dock/stand for an iPad... rather than an iPad-like device that will be permanently chained to a table.

At least you could use the iPad away from the table.

Yeah, this would be really nice. A speaker dock/stand that, when you drop the iPad into it, automatically goes into a "homeOS"-esque display of Home controls, widgets, one-tap music playback options, etc. And when undocked, switches immediately back into being an iPad.

 

[Cuesca]

I just returned the current gen Homepod for poor sound quality, adding a screen probably wouldn't make me reconsider buying the next one. For the same price there are better Airplay 2 speakers on the market, ones that actually work with things not made by Apple. And when it comes to Home App integration Siri(in its very limited AI state) probably does a better job because I rather just tell Siri to turn on the lights downstairs than fumble around searching for this thing.

 

[Donkey Man]

Great - yet another solution in search of a problem, courtesy of a completely disoriented leadership at Apple.

 

[TVreporter]

Wondering if there is a market for that kind of device.

Tim: We don’t want you to glue your iPad to the wall! Buy both!

 

[Canyda]

I have a Google Home/Nest Hub that works just fine as a nightstand alarm clock and very occasional music player in a home that's otherwise Apple devices. But if the Hub ever dies, I'm just gonna use my iPhone for that purpose.

 

[doelcm82]

Wondering if there is a market for that kind of device.

It depends on what it can do.

I'd like a device that could support multiple AppleIDs so that my kids can use it to view and send or manage messages and emails and calendars and reminders, without them needing to each have a device of their own. I'd like the device to have a fixed home in our house. I don't know if this is that device, so I'll wait and see.

 

[swm]

don't know. I have my watch or my phone always with me.
I don't think that this slim design would be able to reproduce music in the same quality as the OG HomePod.
IMHO this is likely another niche idea that looks good but the global demand is questionable at best. fragmented features across different but still somewhat similar platforms doesn't seem to be a good idea.
wanna combine the screen with the HomePod? add MagSafe to the iPad and let the third parties figure out a nice way to hold that screen in front of an iPad. hell, it even can charge the device via MagSafe.
maybe it's just me, but I won't really trade mobility with a fixed kiosk. and if so, I'd rather want the screen mounted on the wall.

 

[swm]

I have a Google Home/Nest Hub that works just fine as a nightstand alarm clock and very occasional music player in a home that's otherwise Apple devices. But if the Hub ever dies, I'm just gonna use my iPhone for that purpose.

your iPhone doubles as a pretty slick nightstand alarm clock with all the features this device presumably is about to deliver

 

[whoami]

I wouldn't be mad if they added a short throw projector instead of a screen...
Hey siri "show me the weather" and you can see it from across the room instead of on a tiny screen.

 

[maruyama]

Is this really something people want or need? I‘d rather use my iPad or iPhone as my hub… In fact, I’d like to have even more control on my Apple Watch.
why add an additional device? what’s the use case here?

The big thing for me is that it's an always-on screen, and that the scenes/light toggles are potentially zero clicks away. It's like walking to a light switch rather than picking up a device, unlocking it, and opening the Home app.

I only use my iPad or iPhone to control HomeKit if I was already doing something else on the device, otherwise I just use Siri on the HomePod.

 

[Spock]

Wondering if there is a market for that kind of device.

I think that if Apple can make it at a competitive price, they could leverage privacy over devices from Amazon. I like having a display that is always showing calendar and weather information and options for my smart home.

 

[dampfnudel]

Wondering if there is a market for that kind of device.

I think so far the market has been lukewarm at best to similar devices from other manufacturers so we’ll see if Apple has better luck.

 

[Rychiar]

if they bring out new hardware it better work a hell of a lot better that the current. the problems in my smart home always seem to come back to my Apple TV or HomePod. Devices always work fine in their own apps. Cameras work better with no outages, etc. My apple home fails in one way or another almost every day. That new architecture changed nothing when it comes to reliability and speed. I have an expensive wifi 7 router now that's no better than my old Eero 5 when it comes to this stuff... not that I'd expect much with their old wifi 4 chips but still...

 

[d-klumpp]

I wouldn't be mad if they added a short throw projector instead of a screen...
Hey siri "show me the weather" and you can see it from across the room instead of on a tiny screen.

Then it would project onto the bottom of my kitchen wall cabinet ;-)

 

[ultratiem]

Why doesn’t your iPhone or iPad do this while it’s docked or charging? I need another dedicated device because Cook needs another milli?

 

[besler3035]

Might be in the minority here, but personally I've been wanting something like this for a while. My hopes are:

• Control the home (duh) and act as a Thread and Matter hub
• Present visual alerts/notifications, as well as reminders/events
• Integrate AI and act as a upgraded Siri "hub" that can serve your existing HomePods
• Have built-in speakers so it can act as a HomePod
• Integrate with existing Apple devices, like the Apple TV, allowing you to control what's playing on the big screen from the other room
• Provide quick scenes that are based on room, time of day, etc., allowing you to interact quickly without having to search for a scene in the Home app
• Provide at-a-glance widgets as you walk closer to it
• Possibly replace an existing light switch (similar to what Aqara's new screens do), allowing you to control the lights of that switch, but also interact with the other elements I mentioned above