Updated HomePod, new HomePod mini rumored for early 2023
Apple may be lining up updates to the HomePod range, with a report claiming the full-size smart speaker will be returning in early 2023, while the HomePod mini will receive some form of update in the future.
Apple has seen some success with the HomePod mini, enjoying high sales in a market that has already seen the exit of the larger and premium HomePod. A report discussing Apple's future HomePod changes indicates that both may see changes over the next year.
In Sundays' "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman believes Apple is thinking about making an update to its HomePod mini. While not outlining what those changes could be, Gurman tempers expectations that the alterations won't be "super-impressive" to users.
Following the discontinuation of the larger HomePod in March 2021 and subsequent rumors a new model is on the way, Gurman joins the chorus talking about its arrival. Agreeing with comments by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Gurman offers an early 2023 launch for the model could occur
Aside from the HomePod family, Apple is also reportedly working on a number of other "Home" products, including the rumored device combining a HomePod with an Apple TV and a FaceTime camera. Gurman also muses that there could also be a kitchen-bound device resembling an iPad on a robotic arm on the way.
These all-new devices could arrive at the end of 2023 or early 2024, Gurman proposes.
Read on AppleInsider
Apple has seen some success with the HomePod mini, enjoying high sales in a market that has already seen the exit of the larger and premium HomePod. A report discussing Apple's future HomePod changes indicates that both may see changes over the next year.
In Sundays' "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman believes Apple is thinking about making an update to its HomePod mini. While not outlining what those changes could be, Gurman tempers expectations that the alterations won't be "super-impressive" to users.
Following the discontinuation of the larger HomePod in March 2021 and subsequent rumors a new model is on the way, Gurman joins the chorus talking about its arrival. Agreeing with comments by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Gurman offers an early 2023 launch for the model could occur
Aside from the HomePod family, Apple is also reportedly working on a number of other "Home" products, including the rumored device combining a HomePod with an Apple TV and a FaceTime camera. Gurman also muses that there could also be a kitchen-bound device resembling an iPad on a robotic arm on the way.
These all-new devices could arrive at the end of 2023 or early 2024, Gurman proposes.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
When I want to use the component based system I have to fire up my TV, Apple TV, receiver, and DAC and then use the Apple TV remote to either stream from Apple Music or point it to one of my Macs that contains my Apple Music collection locally. That's not a big deal, but to use the HomePod all I have to do is say "Hey Siri, play my music" and there it is, filling my space with music that sounds nearly as good as what my old component system can muster. Of course if you have a better HiFi system your experience may be quite different.
As others have probably discovered, Siri on the HomePod is o...k, and if you talk to it like you'd talk to a 3-year old and stay within a limited range of topics, like music, the weather, or requesting a podcast you'll probably get what you want. I'm okay with what Siri on HomePod does around 90% of the time, so it's no big deal. The sound quality of the HomePod more than makes up for the minor shortcomings that Siri sometimes presents.
- dewme said:
I think we can comfortably say Siri will be no better on any newer HP, as it's not improved for the last 8 years. My full-size HP had another Siri issue yesterday, asking it "What's the news" resulted in "I have found some web results, I've sent them to your iPhone". Repeating the question wouldn't work, only asking it to play the <source> news podcast worked. Seems to be working again today.Siri on the HomePod, is adequate if barely, for controlling music, but pretty much dismal for anything else it's supposed to do.
Those remaining few things need to be done on the phone. But I have to wake the phone for that. If just using the voice command, HomePod Siri muscles in and takes control, and fails to respond properly. So Siri, and Siri's hot sister, Sara, would be appreciated.
I hope whatever processor they use in the new HomePod has enough performance to allow real time audio tuning/processing. That’s one thing that sets the original HomePod apart from other generic speakers.
Dolby Atmos with beamforming would be great.
One could then skip the wires and choose both speakers and amps linked via airport express wifi vs the proprietary and sonically questionable limitations and sunsetting of the competing corporate offerings to date...?
Anyhow, let's not forget that even Gurman -- whose prediction accuracy is better than most of this peers -- still bats way below .500. That means the majority of the things he predicts end up being inaccurate.
It is highly unlikely that the full-sized HomePod will return.
I could see another model maybe twice the cubic volume as the HomePod Mini arrive, but nothing nearing the size of discontinued model.
It is highly likely that Apple had prototyped a wide variety of sizes (which a wide range of components and functionality) before it released the original HomePod. I'm willing to believe that hundreds of prototype configurations existed in their labs but we only say one.
As we have seen for previous products, there are tons and tons of unreleased designs that end up on the scrap heap or in some warehouse that never see the light of day as a shipping product that will end up on a store shelf.
Two steps forward one step back…..
They might make Sir Georg Solti's landmark recording of Wagner's Ring Cycle more enjoyable. An AM radio broadcast of the ballgame? Perhaps not as impactful.
The biggest problem here is that there are some people on the Internet who don't understand that there are many usage cases and that different people will do different things for different reasons. And that some people will do lots of different things with one device. They only accept their own sole usage case as the sole valid one.
Some of the discussion in this thread seems to be indicative of this extreme myopia, pretty commonplace online and seems to be happening with more regularity these days.
Pity.
The shortsighted always say the thing but at the price Apple sold the HomePod speakers, no wired connection means you are screwed if they (Apple) decide not to make those speakers and discontinue software support thru upgrades, middle to upper end speakers last for decades with care (Apple HI Fi coincidentally) not the Apple two year
upgrade cycle.
Still usable dependence on Apple nil just works. https://www.soundandvision.com/content/apple-ipod-hi-fi
And if you were a long term thinker and had matched the price at the time with a equivalent purchase of Apple shares at same time and held on to them, you would have 32,000 dollars on a mere 349.00 dollar investment, shortsighted thinking doesn’t always pay.