Apple may have another full-sized HomePod in development, but anyone hoping for a surprise speaker announcement during tomorrow’s September event could be waiting a while longer.
Apple has reportedly been testing an updated version of the full-sized HomePod designed to work with its next generation of Siri AI features. The project suggests the company has not abandoned its larger smart speaker even as attention increasingly turns toward new smart-home hardware.
As reported by MacRumors, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says the new full-sized HomePod is being tested with Siri AI support, but the product does not appear to be imminent.
That distinction is important ahead of tomorrow’s keynote. HomePod mini 2 has appeared much more frequently in near-term product reports, while Apple’s rumored smart-home display and refreshed Apple TV have also been linked to the company’s upcoming hardware plans.
The Apple Post recently detailed the home products that could accompany Apple’s next wave of hardware, although expectations for tomorrow remain strongest around iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods.
A new full-sized HomePod would make sense alongside Apple’s much broader Siri overhaul. Apple unveiled Siri AI at WWDC26 as a rebuilt assistant with conversational abilities, personal context and deeper app integration.
The current full-sized HomePod was introduced in January 2023, meaning the hardware is now more than three years old. An eventual refresh could give Apple an opportunity to improve performance and make the speaker a more capable part of its AI-focused smart-home strategy.
For tomorrow, though, the distinction between products Apple is testing and products ready to ship matters. The next full-sized HomePod appears to belong to the former group.