Apple's HomePod 2: Outdated again – will a successor come?
Apple did not update the first HomePod from 2018 to 2023. Now second smart speaker generation is also celebrating an unfortunate anniversary. Will that change?
Apple HomePod 2: 1000 days without an update.
(Image: Apple)
Good two and a half years—and thus recently over 1000 days—since Apple last revised its HomePod smart speaker. The device has been available since early February 2023. The HomePod 2 arrived unexpectedly at the time; many observers had already assumed that Apple would only focus on the smaller variant, the HomePod mini. Previously, Apple had not touched the first-generation HomePod for a good five years; it was even officially removed from the market in March 2021. The question now is: What's next for these quite popular devices, which can also serve as a smart home hub?
Availability of old models
There is currently no usual indication of new models: a decrease in availability in the Apple Online Store and the company's retail stores. Interested parties can purchase the HomePod in both variants for the usual RRP of 349 euros in both color variants immediately. The situation is slightly worse for the HomePod mini, where the delivery time has slipped to two days, at least in the German capital—but this is also no indication of an imminent end of sales.
There have been rumors for a long time that Apple is planning a new “Home Hub” (a kind of small iPad for smart home control) that also has a speaker base. However, it was recently rumored that it won't be available before the first half of 2026. The reason: The Home Hub requires Apple's improved Siri, which is apparently not making progress. According to a Bloomberg report on Sunday, Apple is also planning two variants—one with the aforementioned speaker, the other only as a tablet that can be mounted on the wall.
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More AI, better sound?
Apart from the new Siri—with context-sensitive reactions and (somewhat) more AI—there are hardly any rumors yet about what a new HomePod could do. This also applies to a new variant of the HomePod mini. Apple is likely to continue to focus on sound, possibly incorporating new audio chips like the Apple H2 or the upcoming H3. Meanwhile, there have also been speculations that the HomePod could receive a real display, but information from the rumor mill is repeatedly mixed with descriptions of the “Home Hub” here.
On Wednesday, Apple announced three new products: MacBook Pro M5, iPad Pro M5, and Vision Pro with M5 processor. Observers are now waiting to see if more accessories will also be released in the coming days. This could be second-generation AirTags or a new Apple TV 4K model.
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