Apple may release a HomePod with a touchscreen and AI features

Apple is reportedly developing a new product: a home accessory that will run a software variant of tvOS, according to a report. It would be a touchscreen version of the HomePod with displays and cameras, which have long been rumored to be in development. The device is speculated to be powered by Apple Intelligence, the iPhone maker’s suite of artificial intelligence (AI) services that it unveiled on June 10 at the 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).

New HomePod

In a reportMacRumors revealed that it had spotted code in Apple’s backend referencing a new identifier category “HomeAccessory17,1”, which is speculated to be a HomePod with a touchscreen display. This suggests the device could be powered by the A18 chip – the same SoC that is also rumored to power the entire upcoming iPhone 16 lineup.

Thanks to this chipset, the device could get Apple Intelligence features. According to the report, it is speculated that this “home accessory” will run on a variant of tvOS, the operating system of Apple TV. The new operating system could be called homeOS, which was previously said to have been referenced in a tvOS 17.4 beta released in January.

In April, a tipster going by the username Kosutami (@Kosutami_Ito) leaked an image of the display cover for the rumored upcoming HomePod, suggesting that the device could feature a touchscreen LCD display surrounded by the speaker. It’s speculated to display information such as media playback controls and incoming notifications.

The development builds on the prediction of TF Securities International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who suggested that the Cupertino-based tech giant could launch a HomePod with a 7-inch touchscreen display in 2024. It was suggested that it would compete with devices like Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub. At the time, Kuo had said that Tianma would be the sole supplier of the alleged HomePod. While it was speculated to launch in H1 2024, Apple has yet to release a similar device.

However, there are still two more Apple events scheduled for this year and the rumored touchscreen HomePod may still release this year.