Apple’s HomePod With Touchscreen May Get a Square Display, A18 Chip and AI Features: Report

Apple’s rumoured in-development device may be powered by an A18 chipset which also powers the new iPhone 16 series.

Written by Shaurya Tomer, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 27 September 2024 19:37 IST

Apple’s HomePod With Touchscreen May Get a Square Display, A18 Chip and AI Features: Report

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Daniel Canibano

Apple's rumoured HomePod may get a 7-inch LCD screen with support for notifications and media controls

Highlights

Apple is speculated to be developing a HomePod with a touchscreen display
It is reported to come with A18 chipset and Apple Intelligence features
The purported device may also get a camera with FaceTime capability

Apple has been speculated to be developing a new type of product — a home accessory that will run on a software variant of tvOS and will sport a touch display on top. According to a new report, this purported device may have artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities courtesy of Apple's latest A18 processor. It may also include support for hand gestures, FaceTime, and other video conferencing platforms, helped in-built cameras on the device.

Apple HomePod With Touchscreen Features (Expected)

According to a 9to5Mac report, the purported device carries an identifier “HomeAccessory”. This leak corroborates a previous report which also hinted at a code discovered at Apple's backend that referenced a new identifier category “HomeAccessory17,1”. It is reportedly codenamed J490.

Apple's rumoured in-development device may be powered by an A18 chipset which also powers the new iPhone 16 series. As a result, it is speculated to have support for Apple Intelligence – the company's suite of AI features for iPhone, iPad, and other devices. If this comes to fruition, it would be the first Apple HomePod device to do so.

Apple's Cheaper Vision Headset Could Have Lower Resolution OLED Displays

In addition to AI capabilities, the purported HomePod with touchscreen is also said to feature a square display rather than a rectangular one which is commonly seen on tablets. The screen could reportedly come with a customisable lock screen with multiple clock faces, similar to the Apple TV interface. Notably, references for a customisable lock screen with touchscreen support were reported to be discovered in a tvOS beta update.

The report suggests it may also have an in-built camera that would support video conferencing apps like FaceTime and others. With this camera, the device would reportedly be able to recognise hand gestures which may be used to control it.

Additionally, it is also speculated to enable user identification, allowing them to make personal requests — a feature that already exists on the HomePod and can be used with voice commands. It may also have media playback capabilities and could also work as an AirPlay receiver, the report adds.

Apple HomePod (2nd Gen)

REVIEW
KEY SPECS

Design
Smart Features
Audio Quality
Value For Money

Good
Looks good
Much more capable than the size suggests
Flawless connectivity with Apple devices
Works well as a speaker for your TV
Flexible, powerful sound

Bad
Expensive
Limited IoT capabilities for now

Read detailed Apple HomePod (2nd Gen) review

Model HomePod (2nd Gen)

Color White, Midnight

Network connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 5

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Further reading: Apple HomePod, HomePod, Apple intelligence

Shaurya Tomer

Email Shaurya Tomer

Shaurya Tomer is a Sub Editor at Gadgets 360 with 2 years of experience across a diverse spectrum of topics. With a particular focus on smartphones, gadgets and the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), he often likes to explore the industry's intricacies and innovations – whether dissecting the latest smartphone release or exploring the ethical implications of AI advancements. In his free time, he often embarks on impromptu road trips to unwind, recharge, and ...More