New 'HomePod' With 7-Inch Display, A18 Chip, and More Reportedly Launching Next Year

Apple plans to release a new 'HomePod' with a 7-inch LCD display, an A18 chip, and Apple Intelligence support in 2025, according to DigiTimes.

Google's Nest Hub

It is unclear how much the screen-equipped HomePod would cost, but Apple is seemingly aiming for a reasonable price. In a paywalled report this week, the supply chain publication said Apple has selected China-based manufacturer Tianma to supply the LCD panels for the device, at an 'exceptionally competitive' price of $10 per panel. The low cost of this component would likely contribute to the device being more affordable.

A screen-equipped HomePod has been rumored several times over the past few years. Earlier this month, for example, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo similarly said that a HomePod with a 6-to-7-inch display, an A18 chip, and Apple Intelligence support would enter mass production in the second half of 2025. Kuo said smart home capabilities would be a core aspect of the device, so it sounds like rumors about a screen-equipped HomePod and Apple's rumored smart home hub are referring to the same product coming next year.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last month said Apple's smart home hub looks like a 'square iPad,' with a roughly 6-inch screen. He said the hub can be attached to a tabletop base with a speaker, or mounted on a wall. It will run a new 'homeOS' operating system with a customizable widget-focused home screen, and revolve around Siri, Apple Intelligence, and HomeKit, he added. The hub could double as a home security system by displaying camera footage, and it is said to have a built-in camera that allows for FaceTime video calls.

Apple's hub would compete with products like Google's Nest Hub and Amazon's Echo Show, which are priced in the $150 to $400 range. Kuo and Gurman both said Apple is also planning a wireless security camera that would work with the hub.

It is unclear if Apple will actually use HomePod branding for the home hub, or if it will opt for all-new naming. It is also unclear if the current HomePod speaker will be updated next year, but a new HomePod mini is expected to launch next year. Related Roundup: HomePodTags: Apple Command Center, DigiTimesBuyer's Guide: HomePod (Neutral)This article, "New 'HomePod' With 7-Inch Display, A18 Chip, and More Reportedly Launching Next Year" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums