While Apple’s HomePod strategy is somewhat fragmented, with the original high-end speaker discontinued last year and the cheaper HomePod mini struggling to compete with the Amazon Echo and Google Nest Audio, Apple has reportedly failed to deliver on its smart home vision. gave up.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is “definitely” still working on a new HomePod, although it won’t be a new standalone speaker. Gurman says the new device will combine a HomePod, Apple TV and FaceTime camera into a single “combination product will likely be central to Apple’s approach.”
We’ve heard this rumor before, but it’s been a while. Last April, Gurman reported that Apple was working on a product that would combine “an Apple TV set-top box with a HomePod speaker” with “a camera for video conferencing via a connected TV and other smart home features.” That is very similar to this device, which is obviously much closer to release.
Gurman doesn’t give a timeline for the release, nor does he give any details about what the device would look like, but it’s not hard to imagine what Apple might have in mind. And may look a bit like a product Apple already sells.
home studio
HomePod may not be the thing that comes to mind when you look at Apple’s new Studio Display, but it’s not all that different from the device Gurman describes. It has spatial audio through a six-speaker hi-fi system, “Hey Siri” support through the built-in three-microphone array, and a 12MP ultra-wide camera with Center Stage support. That sounds like a HomePod with a display, doesn’t it?
Of course, the Studio Display isn’t quite a standalone device, but it does have the guts of an iPad, including an A13 Bionic processor and 64GB of storage. (For reference, the original HomePod had an A8 processor and the HomePod mini has an S5 chip from the Apple Watch Series 5.) It’s not hard to think it could double as a prototype of a cheaper device that shares similar features. things – minus the 5K display and Mac compatibility.
Could the Studio Display Hide HomePod Secrets?
Willis Lai/Foundry
In every way, Studio Display has the makings of a truly wireless self-contained display that runs Apple TV, makes FaceTime calls, and summons Siri. You happen to need a Mac to do those things.
Think about it: Apple could shrink the Studio Display design to 12 or 15 inches, lower the resolution to 1440p, load a visualized version of HomePodOS on it, and perhaps mount it on a HomePod mini-esque base to join the classic styles. The concept shouldn’t change that much, Apple should just turn on the bits of Studio Display that aren’t working right now and miniaturize the whole thing. It wouldn’t be cheap, but we already know that a HomePod with a screen will probably cost $599 or $699.
Who wouldn’t want a small Studio Display on their bedside table? We know we would buy one.
This post Could Apple’s rumored HomePod actually be a small studio display?
was original published at “https://www.macworld.com/article/633190/apple-homepod-with-display-rumors.html”