Andrew Cunningham
Apple’s tvOS betas are usually among the least exciting; Apple TV’s operating system has changed so little over the past decade that the most interesting thing that’s happened to it recently is an extra icon column.
However, this week’s tvOS 18 beta 3 release includes a hidden feature that could be exciting for smart speaker enthusiasts, if not for people who still want their Apple TV boxes to develop exciting new features. 9to5Mac spotted a touchscreen interface (codenamed “PlasterBoard”) in the latest beta, a sign that Apple is testing alternative input mechanisms for software that’s currently controlled via remote control and voice.
Last week, MacRumors also discovered a reference to a device called “HomeAccessory17.1” in Apple’s beta software, a naming convention similar to the “AudioAccessory” device identifiers Apple uses for HomePod speakers. Together, these developments suggest that Apple is working on a version of the HomePod with an integrated touchscreen, a device that rumors say could launch in 2024 or 2025. The company has reportedly been working on a smart home device with a screen since at least 2021.
MacRumors also points out that the 17.1 model identifier could indicate that the new HomePod is powered by Apple’s upcoming A18 chip — model identifiers across Apple’s product line are usually associated with chip generation rather than product generation, which is why Vision Pro (for example) is called “RealityDevice14,1” rather than “RealityDevice1,1”. Using the A18 will likely give the new HomePod the speed it needs to support upcoming Apple Intelligence features, including a new and improved version of Siri.
All HomePod speakers have been running a forked version of tvOS since the HomePod software version 13.4 was released in early 2020, so HomePod-related leaks appear to be appearing in tvOS-related code. This would also explain why Apple would use tvOS as the basis for the screened HomePod rather than the iPadOS version.
Apple introduced the Amazon Echo Show
A version of tvOS running on a tablet-style device could use more than just a touch interface to reach its full potential — a version of tvOS Safari would be useful for browsing recipe pages or casual reading while you’re doing something else. for example. But what Apple adds depends on the form the screen takes.
Some rumors suggested it would be a circular panel to replace the swirling LEDs on top of current-generation HomePods, but Bloomberg’s normally reliable Mark Gurman described the display as “iPad-like,” suggesting it could look more like Amazon’s version Echo Show. Amazon advertises its Show devices as digital photo frames, miniature TVs, and general kitchen gadgets, and Apple’s offering for a HomePod with a screen would likely have many of the same uses.
Amazon has already released several generations of Echo Show devices, and Google has also taken a few stabs at the category. A HomePod with a screen, whether released in 2024 or 2025, would be far from the first of its kind. However, the HomePod wasn’t even a high-end product when it was released, and it still managed to carve out a niche.
We don’t know how much a HomePod with a screen might cost, but assuming it includes a HomePod-style speaker, an iPad-style screen, and a top-of-the-line iPhone processor, it seems likely that it will cost significantly more than $299. Apple currently charges for a full-sized HomePod without a screen. The original $349 Apple HomePod flopped in part because it was priced too high compared to the competition and because it didn’t do much — a speaker that did more things could probably cost more without drawing as much criticism.