Apple HomePod Will Return in 2023: Report
Apple discontinued the HomePod over a year ago, but the smart speaker may make a comeback next year, according to a Bloomberg report. The revamped HomePod will supposedly be similar in size to its predecessor rather than the smaller HomePod Mini currently available and will use the same S8 processor that will be in the upcoming Apple Watch. The report also suggested a new Apple TV and new AirPods Pro earbuds are on the way from Apple.
Apple HomePod Back for More
Though similar in size, the new HomePod will have a better top display and possibly include “multi-touch functionality,” the report states, though with an audio capability similar to the earlier version of the smart speaker. The question is if the issues that plagued the HomePod from its initial long delays. Immediate security complaints and ongoing pricepoint pushback made the HomePod very much the straggler in Apple’s smart device lineup, especially compared to its iPhone and AirPod dominance. The HomePod Mini has attracted some buyers, but new colors can’t distract from feature limitations and lack of connection to other voice assistants besides Siri. That said, the return last year of former HomePod audio engineer Afrooz Family as senior engineering manager for HomePod software may have been the first hint of a revitalized HomePod plan.
Follow @voicebotai Follow @erichschwartz
Former Apple HomePod Audio Engineer Returns as Smart Speaker Software Chief
Tidal Streaming Service Integrates Siri Voice Control, But Not on HomePod Minis
