HomePod with screen expected to arrive in 2024

The next HomePod could integrate a seven-inch display panel that will increase interactivity and possibly turn the Siri speaker into a smart home controller.

• What’s happening? Well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple will release an updated HomePod with a seven-inch display early next year.
• Why care? The built-in screen will enhance HomePod’s usefulness by allowing it to act as an interactive controller for your smart home.
• What to do? Read Kuo’s full report on Medium.

Kuo: new HomePod with screen will be released in 2024

A respected analyst believes the iPhone maker will release a HomePod with a screen in the first half of 2024 (Kuo’s timeline isn’t as accurate as his predictions for Apple’s unreleased features). Tianma, which currently makes Android displays, will be the exclusive panel supplier for the next HomePod, Kuo said.

Based on that line, Kuo could have made an educated guess rather than a fact-based prediction: “Tianma is about to debut in Apple’s supply chain, becoming the new beneficiary of Apple’s updated smart home strategy.”The analyst predicts that Tianma’s next order from Apple could be “iPad panels if the shipment is successful.”

Apple smart home products are rumored to be in development

If true, Apple will be catching up with rivals Amazon and Google, who have been offering smart speakers with built-in displays for years. Kuo’s prediction aligns with earlier reports from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman about Apple’s future smart home plans. Gurman called for some amazing developments, including:

• April 2021: Gurman revealed that Apple is considering a “high-end touchscreen speaker,”claiming that such an accessory would “combine an iPad with a HomePod speaker and also include a camera for video chatting.”
• April 2022: Gurman revealed that Apple is working on a gadget that combines the functionality of Apple TV and HomePod with a built-in camera for video calls.
• October 2022: Gurman announced that in 2023 Apple will release an iPad dock that can be placed on the kitchen table, nightstand, etc.

According to Kuo, the HomePod with a screen will play a role in Apple’s “updated smart home strategy,”which has yet to yield tangible results.

How the Future HomePod Could Use Touch Screen

Kuo didn’t elaborate on what new features the built-in screen could bring to the Siri-enabled dynamic. Current HomePod models have round displays on top. However, these are not true bitmap screens, but LED indicators that provide status information, such as when you are interacting with Siri or rebooting your device.

It looks like the next HomePod could provide tighter integration with other Apple products and become a capable smart home controller. Why else add a screen to it? In our opinion, it would be a waste of time to go to the trouble of equipping the next HomePod with a nice seven-inch screen only to display more colorful controls and complex Siri responses.