Unreleased HomePod With LCD Display Allegedly Shown in Images [Update]

[RedWeasel]

It was like I had a SONY product in my hands. I sold them immediately on eBay.

My Sony soundbar would let me play stuff from my Synology NAS or from a USB stick, not sure what you mean.

 

[sos47]

i am fine with my hompod gen 1.
for the size it sounds great in large rooms.

the only thing i wish is an external sound source option BT or 3,5mm - anything for using this device outside my home (hotel, apartment, camper)

 

[Darren.h]

looks too much like Current design.

And the cost just went up $100 for that crappy display.

 

[subjonas]

I don't even see the point in the current HomePod display aside from as a very basic single play/pause/activate button and showing two colours for status. Who wants/needs more and why?

Agreed, my HomePods are set up as 100% audio interactive devices. They are being used for functions and in locations where I don’t want them to draw any visual attention nor have to be physically accessed. Having vertical displays on them would at best be a waste of added cost and at worst be a waste plus visually distracting and limit where I can put them.

A HomePod with vertical display could definitely be useful, but it should be a different product or an optional add on.

 

[Darren.h]

FYI.

YouTube Music Rolls Out Official Support for Apple's HomePod

You can set the music service as a default for the device and use ‘Hey, Siri’ commands.

www.pcmag.com

 

[subjonas]

i am fine with my hompod gen 1.
for the size it sounds great in large rooms.

the only thing i wish is an external sound source option BT or 3,5mm - anything for using this device outside my home (hotel, apartment, camper)

If you just want to Airplay from your iPhone to HomePod, you apparently can do it without being on any wifi network (eg. in a hotel), according to this article:

How to use HomePod without WiFi

No WiFi at your party venue? Want to use your HomePod in a hotel room? You can still play music on your HomePod, here's how:

www.macworld.com

You just need power for your HomePod of course.

 

[PatriceTheWake]

I don't even see the point in the current HomePod display aside from as a very basic single play/pause/activate button and showing two colours for status. Who wants/needs more and why?

Well, many people are waiting for a Homekit device with a display+speaker other than an iPad in order to replace Google Nest Hub for example.
When someone is ringing the door (using a Homekit Secure Video doorbell), it would be nice to have those devices to wake-up and automatically show the video with two buttons:
1- mute
2- door opener button
So we would be able to place this 'cheaper' device in multiple places of the house and have a sound warning + controls. (and I'm doing it today with multipl Google Nest Hubs in the house and also in remote houses).

Bottom line, not only playing audio and trying to watch movies on a small screen ;-)

-- Patrice.

 

[JCCL]

Hey Jony,

Have you ever wanted to put a speaker in a place where you needed to feed the power cable through a narrow passage? Maybe behind a heavy piece of furniture? IT'S TERRIBLY INCONVENTIENT to be designed into a corner. Need to feed this cable another way to suit your needs? Yeah...NO!

When I pay $300+ for a speaker, it needs to NOT get in my way.

BTW, the way that cable was MOUNTED into that speaker was WAY out of pocket. It was a clear signal that you were not going to unplug it. That was "paint me into a corner" design.

I actually have pulled the cable from my OG HomePods to put them through a narrow hole in the furniture. It just needs a straight and firm pull; not much effort.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Apple need to focus more on making the HomePod a device that supports third party apps and can compete with similar products from Google and Amazon, not put pointless screens on the top. This will just justify putting the price up and further put their already niche market off growing bigger.

 

[Shirasaki]

The power cable on the original HomePods were not welded. It was a plug, but it could only be removed with a great effort. Officially by Apple it was not removable. I don’t know why that is a significant issue though. Many speakers have non-removable power cables.

Non-removable cable means when transporting the stuff, the connection point can be twisted or deformed due to strain. Also accidental trip can cause damage to the device attached to it as well.
There is a reason why people loved magsafe on macbook and disappointed when apple got rid of it.

 

[sos47]

If you just want to Airplay from your iPhone to HomePod, you apparently can do it without being on any wifi network (eg. in a hotel), according to this article:

How to use HomePod without WiFi

No WiFi at your party venue? Want to use your HomePod in a hotel room? You can still play music on your HomePod, here's how:

www.macworld.com

You just need power for your HomePod of course.

great
thank you very much 🙏🏻

 

[btrach144]

Make HomeKit usable (still so many bugs like Logitech cameras going offline if HomePod moves to 5ghz).

Cool first party hardware is pointless until then.

 

[matthewadams]

I think Apple laid the foundation for a future HomePod with a screen with iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma.
iOS 17 has standby which is how I’d imagine the HomePod UI. It also brought widget mirroring to Sonoma which is how it’d potentially display widgets without the need of a full blown homeOS AppStore ecosystem

 

[Nekomichi]

A screen on the top of the unit seems impractical, I'd rather have physical playback controls instead.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Slap a screen on the top or actually develop the appalling software that is ‘Siri’? I know what I’d rather Apple improve to be honest. Over a decade of a voice assistant that feels like it’s in the very early Beta stage is unacceptable. Focus on the functionality Apple, not make things pretty just to get more money out of us.

 

[x86dude]

ONLY wanted to play music if it was 100% on the goddamn internet.

They have even stopped doing that also. Will only play your AppleMusicLibrary.

I bought a HP mini to play an internet radio stream. It was working, bought 2 more, one as a gift. But now they have stopped working. If anyone can prove me wrong, it would help me greatly. PM for details.

 

[nerven]

Needs a wired option so we use it as a low latency monitor for Logic Pro…

 

[syklee26]

so to look at the "screen" I have to get close to HomePod. That is not a good design. Apple can do much better than that.

 

[TheOldChevy]

A small display on the A-TV would be useful when its connection to the HomeTheater and TV does not operate as expected.

 

[abatabia]

So we’re getting a $750 HomePod. Eeeeegads no. Use an old iPad or iPhone set up to a WiFi audio system

I still have a few airport expresses in service for just this reason.

 

[swiftapplefan]

Judging the photos, I'm not sure if this makes the HomePod all that much better. Maybe marginally better? The display looks washed out and not that bright. Granted this is a prototype but still...

I think it’s so washed out because it’s directly under a bright light, but still, you’re right

 

[frou]

My 2006 black MacBook had screen contrast and viewing angles like that

 

[MacMan988]

I'll wait for the one with the LED HDR display to arrive.

 

[iBluetooth]

The current HomePods already have LCD displays with touch control. So, what is this article about? Or did the reporter maybe never use a HomePod?

 

[japanime]

They have even stopped doing that also. Will only play your AppleMusicLibrary.

You might want do do a hard reset. My HomePods (two full-size, two minis) are on the latest firmware version and can still play more than just my Apple Music library.