Apple announced the HomePod smart speaker in June 2017 and introduced the second-gen HomePod in January of last year. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had predicted a next-gen HomePod with a 7″ display would arrive in the first half of 2024. It was then delayed to Q1 2025, and now we hear it’s coming after WWDC 2025.
The word again comes from Kuo, who said the Apple HomePod with display has been delayed to Q3 2025, meaning it will go official sometime between July and September next year if Kuo is correct.
Apple HomePod 2nd generation
Kuo says the delay in the display-equipped HomePod’s production is mainly due to software development challenges. It’s said to have Apple’s A18 chip under the hood and will emphasize smart home functionality more than the current HomePods. The display-equipped HomePod will also work wirelessly with Apple’s smart home IP camera, which is rumored to arrive in 2026.
Kuo expects Apple to ship about 500,000 units of this HomePod in H2 2025, and if the response is good, the annual shipments could reach a million units.
Source (in Chinese)
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