‘HomePod Max’ concept imagines Apple sound bar with app UIs, new design, more

Tom Sykes Posted On 25/10/2020

Product and Industrial Designer Philip Goolkasian has envisioned the “HomePod Max” – an all-new Apple sound bar with app UIs, a new design, integrated Apple TV 4K with touch controls, and more.

Shared on Behance, the concepts imagine what a new “Max” version of Apple’s HomePod smart speaker could look like, with a new oblong shape and familiar mesh fabric, boasting 3 interchangeable USB-C ports for Power, AV input, and AV output, as well as an impressive audio system comprising of 2 high-excursion woofers, 10 ambient microphones, and 14 beamforming tweeters.

Goolkasian envisions the “HomePod Max” adding app UIs, which would display a specific user interface on the top of the HomePod dependant on what task it is performing, for example, streaming Apple TV content would trigger the HomePod to show a specific interface, with Watch Now, Movies, and TV Shows tabs appearing on the speaker’s display, which would then play on a paired TV.

Image: Philip Goolkasian

Another example of when the HomePod could display an app-specific UI would be Group FaceTime calls, in which the concept shows a call interface with the option to end the call, mute the microphone, see the date and time, view who’s in the group call, and more.

Image: Philip Goolkasian

The in-depth concept from Philip Goolkasian takes a look inside the speaker, showing the placement of the various beamforming tweeters and ambient microphones, which he notes would offer “the same acoustic quality as the original HomePod, with twice the amplification range for powerful, moving audio and unbelievably rich audio.”

Image: Philip Goolkasian

This is of course a concept, and we haven’t yet had any rumors of Apple working on a new “HomePod Max” however, the recent introduction of the HomePod mini, does open up the question of whether Apple would consider a larger version of the first-generation HomePod in the future.