Apple is rumored to be resurrecting its discontinued full-sized HomePod from the dead, with respected industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and reliable reporter Mark Gurman both claiming that a second-generation is in the works, with a launch expected as soon as later this year.
Writing in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter on Sunday, Mark Gurman suggests that the updated model could feature a new touch control panel on the top, the S8 chip found in the latest Apple Watch lineup and a new, lower price point, noting that the speaker will have a “design similar to the model from 2018.”
A key point to Gurman’s insight is the mention of a new, lower price for the full-sized second-generation HomePod, with Apple seemingly looking to address the issue which many believe lead to the failure of the original HomePod, with its $329 speaker, which was reduced by around 15% to $299 shortly after its release, priced way above other competing smart speakers, leading to the introduction of the $99 HomePod mini in 2020.
According to Gurman, “the return of the larger HomePod size is still set for this year,” suggesting that the speaker will be a similar size to the original 6.8-inch tall model, warning not to “expect anything revolutionary about it,” reporting that the speaker will likely be updated with the S8 chip and improvements to the touch control panel.
Image: Apple
Gurman has previously reported that Apple’s next full-sized HomePod could add multi-touch functionality, although no further details were shared, suggesting that the new model will have a “design similar to the model from 2018.”
Respected industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was first to report in May last year that he believed a new HomePod was in development, with code from Apple’s first iOS 16 developer beta unearthing references to an unreleased model named “AudioAccessory6,” which seemingly confirmed a new version of the Siri smart speaker was being worked on.