Apple is rumored to be developing a new HomePod with a screen, and new images shared online purportedly give us our first look at the more powerful smart speaker. The HomePod shown above appears to be similar in size to the second-generation HomePod launched earlier this year, but appears to have a working LCD display on top.
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The image was shared by device collector and leaker "Kosutami," who has previously shared accurate pre-release information about various prototypes of Apple's FineWoven accessories, MagSafe chargers, and AirPods in different color options.
Earlier in the day, Kosutami also shared images of components purportedly belonging to a HomePod prototype, which is equipped with a large touch screen sensor on top and is much larger than the current HomePod panel.
In addition, 9to5Mac claims to have verified the authenticity of these images through its own sources and stated that the prototype, code-named B720, is a new product that Apple is actively developing, rather than something the company has experimented with in the past.
The LcdUTest app displayed on the assembled HomePod display panel is an internal app used by engineers to test new displays. The media said that the code in tvOS17 shows that Apple Music and Apple Podcasts are the first applications to be rewritten to be compatible with the new display. When a song or podcast is played, the new display will display a blurred animation based on the color of the album cover, and the screen may also be used to display notifications.
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman first suggested in 2021 that Apple was developing new HomePods with displays and cameras. Earlier this year, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple plans to release a redesigned HomePod with a 7-inch display in the first half of 2024.
In the longer term, Apple is believed to be rethinking its smart home strategy and is developing an Apple TV and HomePod combo device, as well as a HomePod with a screen mounted on a robotic arm, according to Gurman.