A new piece of text discovered in the fourth beta of iOS 26 may hint that Apple's long-rumored HomePod with a display may be preparing for its debut. We've already heard Apple is working on a phone with a screenHomePod for a while, although there is no news yet. However, we may have just gotten another clue about this yet-to-be-announced device.
Some of the text in the location-related settings seems a bit suggestive.
"Your HomePod will not be able to show you local weather, time, or respond to Siri requests about your area."
The word "display" seems to imply that there will be some text on the screen. Given the lack of a screen on the current HomePod and HomePod mini, the word "display" obviously reveals something.
Although this device was rumored to be launched as early as 2021, it has not yet been released. It is said to have experienced multiple postponements, the latest of which was in December 2024. Currently, there are rumors that the reason for the delay lies in software development. Analysts and tipsters agree that the device will be equipped with Apple Intelligence.
Unfortunately, Apple faces an uphill battle with the launch of Apple Intelligence. If this is the reason for the device's delay, it could be a while before its public debut.
Although this is more of a leak than a rumor, as the discovered text may refer to displaying data on a user's iPhone or other device via a notification delivery. So there's no guarantee it's referring to the HomePod with a display.
