Key Takeaways
- Apple may release a HomePod smart display in 2024 or 2025.
- If you can, it’s worth waiting for a HomePod with Apple Intelligence.
- There’s nothing wrong with buying existing HomePods if your needs are specific or urgent.
Apple’s HomePod line got off to a rocky start. While there were fans of the original model, the smart speaker was widely considered overpriced for its features — for a long time, the only on-demand music option on it was Apple Music. A price cut couldn’t save it from being discontinued. The HomePod mini came to the rescue, and we eventually got a second-generation HomePod for people who demand features like deep bass and Dolby Atmos.
The Mini dates back to November 2020 however, and the second-gen HomePod to early 2023. If you’re looking to create an Apple-based sound system, should you buy a HomePod now or wait for something more cutting-edge?
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Be prepared for the unexpected
At the moment, rumors are a bit nebulous. Some sort of new HomePod is inevitable, but there hasn’t been much talk of one that would be a direct successor to existing models.
Instead, the next HomePod could actually be a smart display, similar to Google’s Nest Hub. This has been backed up by multiple sources, including Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who claims that a device with a 7-inch LCD could ship by the end of 2024. Gurman says that Apple is still early into development, however, and that we shouldn’t expect anything until 2025 or later. Apple code unearthed by MacRumors refers to a product labeled only as “HomeAccessory17,1.” The “HomeAccessory” label is new, separate from the “AudioAccessory” used for existing HomePods. There’s no guarantee that the device is a HomePod display, of course, but there aren’t any alternatives that come to mind.
The next HomePod could actually be a smart display.
What sort of features might a HomePod display have? A 7-inch screen would make sense, although there are both smaller and larger smart displays, up to the 15.6-inch Echo Show 15. It would also follow that the product would let you control music and podcasts via touch, along with HomeKit accessories, since HomePods already serve as Home Hubs. Matter and Thread compatibility should be de facto for linking smart home devices.
As for audio output, we don’t know anything at this point. Most smart displays make sacrifices in power and fidelity to keep costs down, but Apple could hypothetically build a “premium” (read: expensive) product on par with the second-gen HomePod. If the company aims for a more affordable desk/nightstand model, don’t expect Dolby Atmos.
Apple could support some video services. Indeed, the code discoveries suggest a fork of tvOS, possibly called homeOS.
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Should I buy a HomePod now or wait?
Patience is a virtue
Apple
If you’re not in a rush to buy a smart speaker, we’d at least wait until September. That’s when Apple should hold its annual fall press event, showcasing new iPhones, Apple Watches, and other products. Any HomePod refresh will likely be there if it’s going to ship by the end of 2024.
Regardless, you may want to wait until Apple announces a HomePod with support for Apple Intelligence, its new generative AI. So far that technology is only coming to iPhones, iPads, and Macs, presumably because the processors in existing HomePods are too slow. It should enable things like multi-step voice commands and more natural-sounding Siri responses, often processed on-device. Depending on Apple’s implementation, updated HomePods could be a dramatic leap forward.
You may want to wait until Apple announces a HomePod with support for Apple Intelligence.
On the other hand, you could be waiting a while if you don’t want a smart display, and Apple is unlikely to ditch support for existing hardware anytime soon — especially the 2023 HomePod. Some functions won’t even be enhanced by Apple Intelligence, such as AirPlay casting or linking a pair of HomePods to an Apple TV 4K.
That means that if you have a specific goal in mind that doesn’t involve a screen or generative AI, you can feel reasonably confident in buying a HomePod today. Apple’s speakers still hold up pretty well, both in terms of features and sound quality. They’re missing a few non-AI functions like native Spotify control, but you can probably live without those if you were considering HomePods in the first place.
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FAQ
Q: When are new HomePods coming out?
We don’t know for sure. A HomePod smart display could ship by the end of 2024, but 2025 is a safer bet. There’s no sign that Apple is about to update its audio-only speaker designs anytime soon.
Q: How much will new HomePods cost?
If Apple does update its full-size and Mini speakers, prices are likely to remain consistent with current models, meaning $299 and $99 respectively. We don’t know how much a smart display might cost, but that would certainly be over $99.
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