Apple reportedly discussed and prototyped a battery-powered HomePod
Apple is said to have once prototyped a battery-powered HomePod, although it is understood plans fell through and it is now unlikely an Apple-branded battery-powered smart speaker would ever come to market, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman who dropped the tibit into the most recent edition of his weekly Power On newsletter on Sunday.
According to Gurman, Apple internally discussed and prototyped a smart speaker that relyed on battery power to make it portable, unlike the HomePod mini which is now Apple’s only HomePod after the original HomePod smart-speaker was discontinued last year.
Gurman cites the powerful speakers on the iPhone and iPad as a contributing factor to the collapse of the battery-powered HomePod plans, noting that if Apple were ever to pick up the blueprints and bring a portable speaker to market, it would likely be under the Beats brand, “the same place Apple has tucked cheaper audio gear in the past.”