Notes on a new HomePod model with Apple’s screen

Apple apparently actually works on a smart loudspeaker with a screen. Corresponding rumors have been around for a long time-along with speculations about a completely new “home device”, which is supposed to be a kind of small iPad for HomeKit control. Now the youngest developer beta of iOS 26, which was published on Tuesday evening, can be found first tangible clues. In the settings, the mention of an unknown device exists.

Display instead of colorful lights

We macrumors discoveredshe references a local data function. “Your HomePod can not show you the local weather or the time or do not respond to Siri inquiries about your area,” it says. The important verb is “displayed” (“show”): The HomePod does not have its own screen so far, only colorful LED lights on the top.

Accordingly, Apple seems to prepare to support a HomePod with display. How exactly it will look is still unclear. A screen does not fit into the large model or in the HomePod Mini in the current design. In the meantime, it was speculated that Apple is planning a combination of the home device and loudspeaker dock, as you know from competitors.

Name is probably not “HomePad”

Speculation that Apple A kind of “HomePad” Planting, they seem to smash themselves – just like this obvious name. However, it is still conceivable that there could be both a smart loudspeaker with a display and an iPad-like home device, because ultimately both variants would make sense.

The idea of the home device alias Homepad would be to control your entire smart home on homekit and matter base with compact hardware. This is currently being done with-but actually oversized-iPads or iPhones, and the Apple Home app responsible for this also runs on the Mac. At the moment it is expected that “HomePad” or HomePod with a screen will not appear before the coming year. The reason: Apple absolutely wants to implement new Siri functions, which the group had to postpone to 2026. A real voice mode based on a voice model is initially not planned.