Apple’s next HomePod could be less mini and more powerful

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HomePod speaker
The next HomePod could arrive in 2023.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is working on a new HomePod that could launch next year with a new S8 chip. The smart speaker reportedly will be similar in size to the original HomePod rather than the HomePod mini.

Apple is also working on a powerful new Apple TV with an A14 chip and more RAM.

Next-gen HomePod could feature an S8 chip

In the latest edition of the Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman revealed details about the next-gen HomePod. Carrying the code name B620, the speaker will come with an updated display on top with some sort of multi-touch functionality.

The S8 SiP that will debut on the Apple Watch Series 8 later this year reportedly will power the smart speaker. The chip will seemingly have roughly the same specs as the S7 from last year, with only minor improvements. For comparison, an A8 chip is ticking inside the original HomePod, while the HomePod mini houses an S5 SiP.

The bigger size means the upcoming HomePod should offer much better sound quality and bass than the HomePod mini. Apple discontinued the original HomePod in 2021 due to poor sales, but the speaker was widely appreciated for its excellent sound quality. This has led to its price going up long after the Cupertino giant stopped selling it.

Pricing will remain a key factor for the next-gen HomePod. It is unlikely to do well if it carries the same $299 price tag as the original HomePod.

Gurman also thinks AirPods Pro 2 will arrive with a newer chip and higher-quality audio playback.

New Apple TV with a powerful A14 chip is in development

Cupertino is also working on a new Apple TV, code-named J255, according to Gurman. It will house an A14 chip and come with an additional gig of RAM. This additional horsepower should come in handy while running games optimized for tvOS 16.

The current-gen 2021 Apple TV features an A12 chip and 3GB of RAM. iOS 16 betas hint at a new Siri Remote for Apple TV, which could debut alongside the new model.

TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously predicted a new Apple TV with an improved “cost structure” could launch in the second half of 2022.

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