Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the HomePod with display will now not be released until the third quarter of next year. He initially expected it to launch in the first half of 2024, then said it had been pushed back to the first half of 2025.
The reason for the latest delay, he said, is that developing software for the new device is taking longer than expected …
HomePod with a display
Rumors that Apple was working on a HomePod with some kind of display surfaced back in 2022. At the time, the device was thought to be a speaker with a magnetic dock for the iPad.
A little over a year ago, we saw a prototype of a HomePod with an LCD screen, and our own sources confirmed that it was real.
Photos of one such prototype have now surfaced online, and we can confirm that they are of a real prototype. An Apple prototype collector known as Kosutami shared images of the components of the unreleased HomePod this morning, and interestingly, there is a large touch sensor on the top that is much larger than the current HomePod panel. Kosutami then shared a photo of a HomePod prototype that has a fully functional LCD display on top.
Parker Ortolani created concept images that match this (left in the photo above). However, multiple reports point to an all-in-one PC with its own 7-inch display, similar to the Amazon Echo Show shown above right. Other reports suggest something similar to the iMac G4, although Bloomberg has said the device may or may not include a speaker, suggesting it could be a separate product. There was also talk of a wall-mounted display.
It's unclear at this point whether Apple is experimenting with different form factors for a single product or planning a line of smart home hardware.
Delayed until late 2025
Kuo now says the HomePod with display launch has been delayed until the third quarter of 2025 due to software development issues.
The HomePod with display mass production schedule has been delayed several times. Originally projected for 2024 (as I predicted in 2023), it was delayed to 1Q25, and most recently further delayed to WWDC 2025/3Q25.
The production delay is mostly due to software development. The display-equipped HomePod is expected to feature an A18 processor, a 6-7-inch display, and support for Apple Intelligence.
Kuo suggests that the upcoming product is part of Apple's repositioning of the HomePod as less of a speaker and more of a smart home control hub.
9to5Mac's Take
At this point, it's hard to say for sure what exactly Apple intends to release, much less when the company will release it. Given that this is the third date Kuo has suggested, it's best to view this report as simply more evidence that smart home hardware is a key focus for Apple.
Concept image: Parker Ortolani
