Apple's new HomePod with display will be powered by the iPhone 16 processor
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Apple is working on a new smart home device similar to its $299 HomePod. It was discovered a few months back in Apple code strings, and there it was referred to as the "HomeAccessory" device.
The new gear will reportedly be Apple's take on the Amazon Echo Show 10 or Google Nest Hub Max in that it will have a display to interact and show stuff on and won't be only be communicated with via voice as many people are becoming uneasy about that means now.
According to 9to5Mac's insider claims, Apple's upcoming Home Accessory device carries the internal codename J490 and will be powered by Apple's latest and greatest A18 processor. This is the same chip that the iPhone 16 is running on and a harbinger of Apple Intelligence features arriving at the smart home device.
The new HomePod series gear will have a square display, so hopefully it will be more aesthetically pleasing than the Google Nest Hub Max or the Amazon Echo Show 10 that are basically just fat-bezel tablets attached to a speaker.
On the other hand, a square display may be good for showing Instagram content, but won't be very suitable for its rumored apps and media consumption purposes. Apple has more plans for the new HomePod or Home Accessory device's window to the world, though. It will, for example, be used for displaying clock faces in an Apple TV style, and support Apple AirPlay for accepting media streams from other devices.
Users will apparently be able to control it with many input options as, besides voice and screen navigation, it would be managed with gestures as well, which will undoubtedly come in handy when it is used for displaying recipes and trying to touch it with greasy fingers.
Needless to say, this presupposes a camera that will recognize said gesture controls, and the tipsters indeed reveal that Apple will put a FaceTime camera for video calls on it, that will also double as a gesture detector.
The Home Accessory device will support multiple users and tailor its settings to each individual. Apple's new smart home gear with display is expected to be released after February 2025, but the price remains a mystery. Given the display and camera additions, it will certainly run for way more than the HomePod's $299 price point.
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