Andrew Cunningham
Beta versions of Apple’s tvOS are usually among the least exciting; Apple TV’s operating system has changed so little in the past decade that the most exciting thing to happen to it in recent memory is an extra column of icons.
But 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 capabilities. 9to5Mac has discovered a touchscreen interface (codenamed “PlasterBoard”) inside the latest beta, a sign that Apple is testing alternative input mechanisms for software that is currently manipulated 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 a built-in touchscreen, a device that rumors suggest could launch in 2024 or 2025. The company has reportedly been working on a smart home device with a screen that at least since that time. 2021.
MacRumors also points out that the 17.1 model identifier could mean that the new HomePod is being powered by Apple’s upcoming A18 chip — model identifiers across Apple’s product line are usually associated with chip generation, not product manufacturing. , so Vision Pro (for example) is called “RealityDevice14,1” instead of “RealityDevice1,1”. Using an A18 will apparently give a new HomePod the speed needed to support future Apple Intelligence features, including a new and improved version of Siri.
All HomePod speakers have been running a hacked version of tvOS since HomePod software version 13.4 was released in early 2020, which is why HomePod-related leaks seem to appear in tvOS-related code. This would also explain why Apple would use tvOS as the basis for a single-screen HomePod rather than a version of iPadOS.
Apple’s take on an Amazon Echo show
A version of tvOS running on a tablet-style device could use more than just a touch-driven interface to reach its full potential — a tvOS version of Safari would be useful for browsing recipe pages or for casual reading while you’re doing something else. for example. However, what Apple adds depends on what form the display takes.
Some rumors have suggested it would be a circular panel that replaces the rotating LEDs on top of current-generation HomePods, but Bloomberg’s normally reliable Mark Gurman has described the display as “iPad-like,” suggesting it could look more like a version of Amazon’s Echo Show. Amazon touts its Show devices as digital photo frames, miniature TVs, and general kitchen gadgets, and Apple’s move to a screened HomePod will likely have many of the same uses.
Amazon has already released multiple generations of Echo Show devices, and Google has made some forays into the category as well. A single-screen HomePod, whether released in 2024 or 2025, would be far from the first of its kind. However, the HomePod wasn’t a cutting edge product either when it was released, and it still managed to carve out a niche.
We don’t know how much a single-screen HomePod might cost, but assuming it includes a HomePod-like speaker, an iPad-like display, and a latest iPhone processor, it looks like the price will be much higher higher than $299. Apple currently charges for the HomePod without a full-size display. Apple’s original $349 HomePod failed in part because it was priced too high compared to the competition, and because it didn’t do much — a speaker that did more could probably have been priced higher without drawing so much criticism.