Gurman: Apple Still Working on Combined HomePod and Apple TV With FaceTime Camera
Apple is still working on a new HomePod product that combines a speaker, Apple TV functions, and a FaceTime camera, according to reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman.
In the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said he "absolutely" thinks that a new HomePod is coming that will likely be "at the center of Apple's approach" to the home.
Q: Do you think a new HomePod or home device is still coming?
A: I absolutely do think a new HomePod is coming — specifically, a device that combines a HomePod, Apple TV and FaceTime camera. I don't think a big stand-alone HomePod is still in development, but perhaps a new HomePod mini is coming. In any case, the combination product will probably be at the center of Apple's approach, with HomePod minis surrounding that throughout the home.
Gurman first suggested last year that Apple was working on a combined Apple TV with HomePod speaker that has a camera for video calls through a connected television set. In April 2021, Gurman said the device's other capabilities would include standard Apple TV box functions like watching video and gaming plus smart speaker uses such as playing music and using Apple's Siri digital assistant.
At the time of the original report, the product was said to be in the early stages, and that Apple could choose not to launch the product or change key features. However, based on Gurman's latest reading of the situation, Apple's original plans are still firmly in place.
Apple discontinued its original high-end HomePod in March 2021, which left many wondering if the company was working on a successor. The HomePod mini, a smaller version of the HomePod which launched in 2020, has been much more popular thanks to its lower price, so it wouldn't be surprising if Apple eventually launched another version of the HomePod mini down the line with new features, as Gurman suggests. But what a device would look like that combines a HomePod, Apple TV, and FaceTime camera still remains unclear.
Popular Stories
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
In November, Apple announced that the iPhone would support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS (Rich Communication Services) in the Messages app starting "later" in 2024, and Google has now revealed a more narrow timeframe. In a since-deleted section of the revamped Google Messages web page, spotted by 9to5Google, Google said that Apple would be adopting RCS on the iPhone in the "fall...
Thieves in Montreal, Canada have been using Apple's AirTags to facilitate vehicle theft, according to a report from Vermont news sites WCAX and NBC5 (via 9to5Mac). Police officers in Burlington, Vermont have issued a warning about AirTags for drivers who recently visited Canada. Two Burlington residents found Apple AirTags in their vehicles after returning from trips to Montreal, and these...
Apple's WWDC 2024 dates have been announced, giving us timing for the unveiling of the company's next round of major operating system updates and likely some other announcements. This week also saw some disappointing news on the iPad front, with update timing for the iPad Pro and iPad Air pushed back from previous rumors. We did hear some new tidbits about what might be coming in iOS 18 and...
Photos of the first iPhone 16 cases have been shared online, offering another preview of the rumored new vertical rear camera arrangement on the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. Image credit: Accessory leaker Sonny Dickson Over the last few months, Apple has been experimenting with different camera bump designs for the standard iPhone 16 models, all of which have featured a vertical ...
A $3 third-party app can now record spatial video on iPhone 15 Pro models in a higher resolution than Apple's very own Camera app. Thanks to an update first spotted by UploadVR, Spatialify can now record spatial videos with HDR in 1080p at 60fps or in 4K at 30fps. In comparison, Apple's native Camera app is limited to recording spatial video in 1080p at 30fps. Shortly after Apple's Vision ...
Top Rated Comments
Rest easy, HomePod. You were one of the good ones. Sorry you have to see… whatever this thing is replace you.
I want two as my TV speakers, but I'm afraid of support =/