Kuo: Apple to Release New HomePod in Late 2022 or Early 2023

[Wahlstrm]

”Smart speakers are undoubtedly one of the essential elements of the home ecosystem, but I think Apple is still figuring out how to succeed in this market.”

I have a crazy idea:
How about letting customers in more than just 5(?) countries buy it?

 

[Canyonero]

So happy to hear this! I have four HomePods, one that acts as a stereo pair with my Apple TV and one stereo pair in the space between the living room and kitchen so they fill both rooms with sound nicely. I was so bummed when I heard they discontinued the product because it's a truly excellent product. I don't give a f*** about Siri so that part never bothered me. Just wanted a speaker that flawlessly works with my Apple TV and that I can stream to from iPhone. I tried the HomePod mini but it sounds so dull compared to the rich sound of the original stereo pairs that I returned it.

 

[greenbreadmmm]

So happy to hear this! I have four HomePods, one that acts as a stereo pair with my Apple TV and one stereo pair in the space between the living room and kitchen so they fill both rooms with sound nicely. I was so bummed when I heard they discontinued the product because it's a truly excellent product. I don't give a f*** about Siri so that part never bothered me. Just wanted a speaker that flawlessly works with my Apple TV and that I can stream to from iPhone. I tried the HomePod mini but it sounds so dull compared to the rich sound of the original stereo pairs that I returned it.

A mini in the kitchen for cooking timers and quick pandora channels is great, but agree Dull.

That said, the OG HomePods were unreal fidelity for price point. I don’t care what people say about overpriced.

 

[_Spinn_]

This is very good news!

 

[iamgalt]

I think it would be cool if Apple developed a separate subwoofer that can pair with HomePods/minis so we can get some wall shaking base when jamming some tunes.

 

[SDJim]

please please please please please please

I seriously hate that I can't get a new HomePod as I have money for it. I have two and love them, but want them in a couple more locations in the house! I know secondary market, but I would prefer new and at a reasonable price!

 

[MallardDuck]

Battery powered with a detachable power supply would be handy. Homepod isn't a real sound system, but it's nice out in the garage.

 

[a.jfred]

It would be an instant buy for me if it had all of these, and I have 5 homepod minis and 1 HomePod.

I wouldn't touch if it had a camera though....

I would so love to hook my turntable up to my OG Homepods for speakers. It'll likely never happen, despite the resurgence of vinyl ... but eliminating a 2nd set of speakers in my small space would be AMAZING.

Sounds bar w/multiple audio-in for non-Apple devices ... but again, not likely to happen.

Still loving my OG Homepods, tho. I have 2 set up with my AppleTV, and I finally no longer have to blast the volume on HBOMax shows to full-volume to hear them.

 

[B/D]

Hope that the maximum volume without distortion is louder than the OG Homepod. 100db of max volume is just ok on a big room.

 

[MallardDuck]

Personally, I prefer my high-quality "dumb" speakers, as I am confident they will be enjoyable with anything I want to play on them for a decade or two. If me, I'd prefer the "smarts" to be a separate thing sans speaker so I can enjoy any benefits that those "smarts" offer without having to "throw baby out with the bathwater" when the smarts no longer get updates. In my current setup, AppleTVs hooked to a receiver powering the dumb speakers is the "smarts" and Siri and Airplay is readily available that way too.

Agree completely. Still run my speakers from 1985 - they'd be thousands to replace today. Amps last a decade or more (less if you run video through them of course), speakers last even longer. Give me a $200 AppleTV every couple of years rather than a $1500 amp!

 

[SoldOnApple]

Aux/TOSLINK input please, so I can connect it to my TV and use them with my xbox and switch. And a dedicated HomeSubwoofer too.

 

[citysnaps]

Ah, well Citysnaps has declared these features are useless, therefore none of us can have them. Drat.

And GMShadow apparently needed a bit of forum attention taking issue with *my* post expressing *my* opinion with respect to what doesn't interest *me*.

Happy that you feel better!

 

[rizzo41999]

I absolutely love my Homepod. I know they were selling the original at a loss but man, simply fantastic engineering.

 

[hcherry]

All I want is to have FaceTime on my tv — sit on the couch and FaceTime with family like they're across the room

 

[citysnaps]

I absolutely love my Homepod. I know they were selling the original at a loss but man, simply fantastic engineering.

For sure on that! I think many undervalued the beamforming and acoustic equalization tech inside that lead to the original HomePod working so well and sounding so good.

 

[BlendedFrog]

So, basically Apple will release new hardware in late 2022 or early 2023. Sounds like typically Apple.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I'm not so sure I agree with your last comment. If it had a camera it could finally mean FaceTime on AppleTV. That would be a useful thing. We occasionally mirror a phone to the TV for this purpose but it's awkward at best.

Why don't you get a FaceTime call going on the phone and prop it up on the front bottom of the TV (tossing the other end of the call to the TV). Now you will seem to be looking right at the other person and they at you... much like putting a camera in the bezel (albeit bottom bezel in this concept) like a giant, upside down iMac or Studio screen.

As mentioned elsewhere, my preferences would be for NOT merging such things together. If Apple wants us to FaceTime on TV, give us something like the original iSight camera to mount on the top bezel of any TV, perhaps powered by USB in the TV, else run a USB connection over to a (resurrected) USB jack on an AppleTV puck. Ta-dah: perfect Facetiming on TV while being able to position AppleTV anywhere (including completely hiding the puck BEHIND the TV as many do).

Else, one has to assume central placement- as close to the TV screen center as possible- which then demands a soundbar/AppleTV/camera all-in-one. First, not everyone leans on a soundbar. Second, AppleTV guts will be the weak link in such a thing, likely to be obsolete long before the speaker or camera.

For me anyway, I'd much favor keeping such things SEPARATE:

• iSight-like camera peeking over the top of ANY TV (much like front-facing in existing Apple devices)
• AppleTVs as separate "brains" able to be placed anywhere anyone wants to place it (and replaced when it is obsolete)
• Speakers not mostly limited to only soundbar setups.
• "home pod" smarts as a separate EchoDot like box that can be replaced when it is obsolete.

Camera and Speakers will likely be great for 10-20 years. AppleTV is probably good for about 5 or so. HomePod smarts are likely good(?) for only 5 or so too.

Or to simplify that, blend HomePod smarts not already replicable in AppleTV (are there any?) in tvOS update and it covers the "smarts". Since both of those likely obsolete when the core iOS that underpins them obsoletes, both of those naturally get replaced anyway at about the same time... unlike the speaker and camera which could be great for YEARS.

 

[rforno]

If Homepod's onboard functionality continues to be crippled by Cupertino, this upgrade will flop, too. What good is newer tech if the software on it is practically useless in most use cases people want?

I'm using an Amazon Echo for my smart speaker b/c HomePod is too limited and/or required an iPhone to stream what I can do seamlessly via Amazon (SXM radio channels.)

 

[PsykX]

They were kinda late to this market, especially late with an inexpensive product.
I think Siri will be the key. It needs to be MUCH faster, MUCH more stable, and it needs to gain MANY more skills (aka it needs to offer APIs for 3rd-parties).

 

[Minato1990]

I got 3 homepods(all bought refurbished at a lower price 2 used for my tv with apple tv, and one standalone in another room) 3 Homepod minis(2 in bedroom one in bathroom), and I love them. Will definitely buy if it comes out.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

BRING BACK THE ORIGINAL!!!

Or at least something better than the Mini. *shrug* I'm knee deep in portable speakers as it is...

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I think it would be cool if Apple developed a separate subwoofer that can pair with HomePods/minis so we can get some wall shaking base when jamming some tunes.

You can have this now- and years ago. Make AppleTV (or your phone or tablet) fill in for the HomePod brains, linked to a receiver, linked to any number of speakers and any quality of subwoofer you desire/can afford.

Same for the "I wish Apple would develop surround speakers too." It's all already available- just not entirely from Apple. The Apple "brains" of Siri are already in AppleTV, phone, iPad, Macs. The rest of that chain is "dumb" technology that simply plays the sound. Anyone can have any kind of sound setup they want right now. They don't have to wait for Apple to try to reinvent high quality stuff already on the market.

 

[Time Less]

Take my money for 4 if it I can be used like Sonos for a complete surround sound system. Hopefully it uses eARC so we can use it for more sources other than the Apple TV.

 

[tadhgk]

All I want is for them to fix the device support and control methods of HomePod. They're great speakers but really poor devices, if you get me.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Battery powered with a detachable power supply would be handy. Homepod isn't a real sound system, but it's nice out in the garage.

Sonos Move is FANTASTIC for this kind of purpose. Works with Airplay 2. LONG battery life. Great sound.

Also can work with pretty much any other source of music vs. being locked down like HomePod.