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What's Next for HomePod: Larger Model With S8 Chip, Matter Support, and More

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While the original HomePod was discontinued over a year ago, rumors suggest that Apple plans to release another larger HomePod model in the future. Meanwhile, the HomePod mini will likely expand its presence by launching in additional countries over time.

HomePodandMini-feature-orange.jpg

Keep reading for a recap of the latest rumors about the HomePod and HomePod mini and the future of Apple's smart home ambitions.

New HomePod With S8 Chip

Apple is developing a new HomePod with the same S8 chip rumored for the Apple Watch Series 8, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In June, Gurman said the new HomePod would be "closer to the original HomePod" than the HomePod mini in terms of size and audio performance, and would have an "updated display on top" with potential multi-touch functionality. No other details are known about this rumored HomePod, which Gurman said is "unlikely to arrive until next year."

homepod-feature-purple.jpg

In May, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple would release a new HomePod in the fourth quarter of 2022 or the first quarter of 2023, adding that there "may not be much innovation in hardware design." Kuo did not share any further details, so it's unclear if he was referring to a new version of the HomePod or the HomePod mini.

The original HomePod is just under seven inches tall and is equipped with the same A8 chip as found in the iPhone 6, seven beamforming tweeters, and six microphones. When it launched in February 2018, the full-size HomePod was priced at $349 in the United States, but Apple lowered the speaker's price to $299 in April 2019.

While early reviews of the HomePod praised the speaker's audio quality, it was expensive and held back by Siri's shortcomings. HomePod sales were reportedly lackluster over the years it was available, but the speaker has fetched high prices on eBay since being discontinued and has become something of a collector's item. With the right price, size, and feature set, there is potential for a new HomePod to be more of a success.

HomePod Combined With Apple TV

Earlier this year, Gurman said he believes that Apple is also planning a new device that combines a HomePod, Apple TV, and a camera. He said this combination device would "probably be at the center of Apple's approach" in the home.

AppleTV-and-HomePod-Feature.jpg

Gurman has claimed that Apple has "been developing new speakers with screens and cameras" since early 2021, which would enable the device to be used for FaceTime calls and other new functionality. Such a device could compete with the likes of Google's Nest Hub and Amazon's Echo Show in the smart home accessories market.

No further details are known about the combo HomePod/Apple TV device at this time.

HomePod Mini in More Countries

Last month, Apple released software version 15.6 for the HomePod and HomePod mini. In addition to performance and stability improvements, the update added support for Siri in Swedish and Norwegian on the HomePod and HomePod mini.

homepod-mini-thumb-feature.jpg

The addition of Swedish and Norwegian support likely means the HomePod mini will be released in Sweden and Norway over the coming months. Apple has also been testing Siri in Danish and Finnish with select HomePod mini users in recent months, so the HomePod mini may launch in Denmark and Finland eventually as well. However, Danish and Finnish are not listed as supported languages yet within the HomePod mini's settings.

Apple released the HomePod mini in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland in late March, around one month after rolling out support for Dutch on HomePods.

Matter Support

Matter is an upcoming connectivity standard that will enable compatible smart home accessories to work together seamlessly across multiple platforms, including Apple's HomeKit, Amazon's Alexa, and Google's Home. Apple says Matter support is "coming in an update later this year" across its software platforms.

Controlling Matter accessories with the Home app and Siri will require a HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV 4K, or Apple TV HD running as a home hub.

Article Link: What's Next for HomePod: Larger Model With S8 Chip, Matter Support, and More
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/08/04/whats-next-for-homepod-latest-rumors/
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I really wish Apple would move more into the home audio space - the original HomePod sounded fantastic - but only in one or two rooms would it be suitable to replace the Sonos’s I have where the rest are Sound Bars hooked up through HDMI, would definitely consider moving into a more apple eco system if they offered a full range.
 
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simps100 said:
I really wish Apple would move more into the home audio space - the original HomePod sounded fantastic - but only in one or two rooms would it be suitable to replace the Sonos’s I have where the rest are Sound Bars hooked up through HDMI, would definitely consider moving into a more apple eco system if they offered a full range.
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A full range that connects with stuff I already have.
 
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“, it was expensive” but cheaper and better than the google home max which also failed. I have 5 and they are great! One had that stopped working glitch with one of the software betas, happily it is working fine now

Apple, If you are listening, put the power supply outside in a brick with a detachable usbc cord this greatly reduces thermal issues which seemed to be the problem with sound cutting out. The mini being resettable via a Mac is a great enhancement. But still wouldn’t it be easier to have the cable removable?
 
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A mini media system… A small box that combines Apple TV with a video camera and in/out connections to your tv and one or two media players. Then wired or wireless connections to HomePods. That would give you full media access and output to your HomePods from the tv and other media players you have along with streaming service via the enhanced AppleTV. It also gives you video calls with. Center stage.
 
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MauiPa said:
“, it was expensive” but cheaper and better than the google home max which also failed. I have 5 and they are great! One had that stopped working glitch with one of the software betas, happily it is working fine now

Apple, If you are listening, put the power supply outside in a brick with a detachable usbc cord this greatly reduces thermal issues which seemed to be the problem with sound cutting out. The mini being resettable via a Mac is a great enhancement. But still wouldn’t it be easier to have the cable removable?
Click to expand...

I imagine they could run it off an 18W brick like the Mini - the original only pulled about 9W at half volume. Even if they have to move to the 30W brick it'd still be preferable to cut heat, yes.

And a 3.5mm bypass input, for old farts who'd rather just dock an iPod to the thing. :D
 
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Sounds like a big fail. If people didn’t buy the great sounding and reasonably priced HomePods in enough volume for Apple to continue it, what makes them think people will buy a dedicated speaker with a display and camera when pretty much every Apple computing device already has that?

Also, considering the discontinuation of iPod HiFi and HomePod after just a few years, there’s a HUGE trust issue, and people would be crazy to buy this new contraption. Apple should just license Siri so its customers can have a good selection of “smart” speaker options that integrate into the Apple ecosystem.
 
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Karma*Police said:
Sounds like a big fail. If people didn’t buy the great sounding and reasonably priced HomePods in enough volume for Apple to continue it, what makes them think people will buy a dedicated speaker with a display and camera when pretty much every Apple computing device already has that?

Also, considering the discontinuation of iPod HiFi and HomePod after just a few years, there’s a HUGE trust issue, and people would be crazy to buy this new contraption. Apple should just license Siri so its customers can have a good selection of “smart” speaker options that integrate into the Apple ecosystem.
Click to expand...

Well, they kept including the dock plates with iPods for the Hi-Fi for a while post discontinuation. They also keep updating the OG HomePod, it's not like they hung it out to dry. Just stopped selling it. I'm not sure why there'd be a 'trust issue'.
 
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Karma*Police said:
Apple should just license Siri so its customers can have a good selection of “smart” speaker options that integrate into the Apple ecosystem.
Click to expand...
Soon that won’t “Matter”
Nicole1980 said:
Add inputs like mini plug and bluetooth and I'd considered buying. Without that, it's a device jailed in by siri and apple music - which is unacceptable.
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Acceptable for a lot of people who have Apple Music. And why would you want Bluetooth or headphone jacks in the age of Airplay?
 
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simps100 said:
I really wish Apple would move more into the home audio space - the original HomePod sounded fantastic - but only in one or two rooms would it be suitable to replace the Sonos’s I have where the rest are Sound Bars hooked up through HDMI, would definitely consider moving into a more apple eco system if they offered a full range.
Click to expand...

I'm digging the move to creating more home theatre options as well! An actual Apple TV TV? Sound Bar? Yes please!! :)
 
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Using 2 big HP, 5 smaller ones, mostly as satellites for other stuff that is served via Airplay, a Braun A2 and Sonos. Still like the big Homepods, but they sorely lack a Subwoofer, if you can use one via AP2. Must say, after years with B&O, BW, Naim, Apple and so on, I am surprised by how well Sonos sounds, how easy it was to set up, how really good the sound is despite all the plastic-y look (2 Five, One Move, One Sub and it fills a really large room really well). After using Sonos for a while, I think Apple has a lot of work ahead of them and sorely needs to open up the system with BT, Audioconnectors, smart functions – and an EQ, which basically is lacking on all their audio products & considering the difference it makes on, say, Sony sm4 in-ears, it would be supernice for the already-great Airpods of all kinds and for the speakers. With that done (and maybe with Siri finally understanding english Bandnames/Songs) the integration and Homekit-(dys)functionality Apple offers would really make the Homepods shine.
 
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On Matter support, Apple is likely to stick Thread support in there, which is one good reason to discontinue the older one. I've got two OG HomePods, but I'm not sure if they'll gain Matter hub support. The HomePod mini and 2021 Apple TV support Thread, so I'm anticipating the new HomePod doing the same.
 
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