HomePod With 'iPad-Like Display' Rumored to Launch in 2025 at Earliest

[MacRumors]

Apple is still working on a new HomePod speaker with an "iPad-like display" built into it, but the device is unlikely to launch until 2025 at the earliest should the plans move forward, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said Apple has started "early work" on a HomePod with a screen with overseas suppliers, but he said the company has yet to make "enough headway" on the device for him to consider a launch to be imminent.

Gurman reiterated that Apple has also explored a device that combines an Apple TV, HomePod, and FaceTime camera, along with iPad-like smart displays that could be magnetically attached to a wall, but it is unclear if these products will ever be released. He said Apple has been "indecisive" about its smart home product ideas for years.

Apple reversed course and released a new full-sized HomePod in 2023 after discontinuing the device in 2021. Apple also continues to sell the HomePod mini, which has not received any major hardware updates since launching in 2020.

Article Link: HomePod With 'iPad-Like Display' Rumored to Launch in 2025 at Earliest

 

[vegetassj4]

MacPod
Homepod Pro
HomePod Ultra
HomePod Studio

 

[gleepskip]

Super niche product. I don't understand why they will bother.

 

[litmag01]

Not sure why a display would be added to this tool. Sounds really fanciful.

 

[Crow_Servo]

I’m curious what the actual design will look like. It doesn’t seem like a product for me, but I could be interested in an updated HomePod Mini.

 

[JCCL]

I don't know why would anyone need a HomePod with an iPad strapped to it.

 

[contacos]

Gonna be too expensive, might as well use an old iPad Mini hooked up to other speakers

 

[Frosties]

Any HomePod future demands airplay 3.0 with WiSA like features that has wireless spatial sound.

 

[gleepskip]

I don't know why would anyone need a HomePod with an iPad strapped to it.

Or stated the other way around: I don't know why anyone would need an iPad with a HomePod strapped to it.

 

[Minato1990]

I don't know why would anyone need a HomePod with an iPad strapped to it.

hopefully there's a version without it.
I just need my HomePod to give me great sound and having the new SIRI AI in it
I can control the rest from my iPhone or MacBook

 

[amaze1499]

Unnecessary.

 

[jz0309]

wouldn't make it on to my shopping list

 

[Fishrrman]

Shades of the old iMac.
Or... does no one remember?

 

[Supercyborgninja]

Creating an iPad like device which sits idle would be great. Kind of a kitchen/central area of the house device you don’t move around a lot.

And then being able to have people FaceTime call it and always automatically get through based on where the device is in the home and the contact who’s calling.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

I don't know why would anyone need a HomePod with an iPad strapped to it.

Think of it as a kitchen-computer, and speaker. One that is always there and fixed in place in a specific home location no matter who is home or what is happening... whether you are cooking, drinking a cup or tea, or charging your phone in another room as you listen to music. I would not imagine it would 100M units, but for those who want something like this I'm sure they would be grateful. A design mistake would be to make this be an iPad dock stand where you could attach an iPad to charge it, etc. The whole idea with the display fixed in place is it would always be there for you and whoever else is in the kitchen, 100% of the time.

 

[McG2k1]

Seems like a product solving a problem that doesn’t exist. I don’t think the Echo Show from Amazon is a particularly big seller and Alexa devices must have orders of magnitude more users than the HomePod does. Maybe I’m wrong.

 

[Wombat-man]

We have an Echo show, which would appear to be similar to this, that we have in our kitchen. My wife uses it quite a lot for recipes.

 

[I7guy]

That render is ugly. While this is a rumor can’t imagine how the two would be integrated in an apple way.

 

[deathcab]

Why not just create a HomePod speaker base that has the ability to (magnetically?) attach an iPad.

Could use something like a Smart Connector for detection / enabling the correct modes when attached.

 

[EugW]

Shades of the old iMac.
Or... does no one remember?
View attachment 2352880

I don't see the resemblance. The HomePod base is black.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Think of it as a kitchen-computer, and speaker. One that is always there and fixed in place in a specific home location no matter who is home or what is happening... whether you are cooking, drinking a cup or tea, or charging your phone in another room as you listen to music. I would not imagine it would well 100M units, but for those who want something like this I'm sure they would be grateful. A design mistake would be to make this be an iPad dock stand where you could attach an iPad to charge it, etc. The whole idea with the display fixed in place is it would always be there for you and whoever else is in the kitchen, 100% of the time.

Why wouldn't these interested buyers just put any smart speaker in that kitchen and mount a retired iPad in the most convenient spot for that purpose? Why do these two things need to be bonded together as one thing?

 

[HackMacDaddy]

View attachment 2352891 I wish they would make it more like my wakeys: QI charger on top, dot led display in the front for time or radiofrequency, and yes, radio! I love how you can just touch one button and you listen to music.

 

[Kylo83]

Fix the HomePod first can’t even set a timer in the kitchen and ask another HomePod how long is left in the kitchen timer it’s so bad

 

[satchmo]

Why not just create a HomePod speaker base that has the ability to (magnetically?) attach an iPad.

Could use something like a Smart Connector for detection / enabling the correct modes when attached.

Yes. Google has done this with its Pixel Tablet which attaches to a hub.

https://store.google.com/us/product/pixel_tablet?hl=en-US

 

[Student of Life]

Honestly it looks like a G4 iMac which is a beautiful design. Just make it where the iPad is removable, have it connect with like a MagSafe device and then it all starts to make sense.

With a base like this, add a wireless keyboard and mouse and you a defacto modern G4 iMac. That would be able to do word documents etc, put on of those tracking motor things so the neck rotates the iPad towards your direction. Heck add some of those harmon Karman old school transparent speakers and your all set.