Apple is continuing work on a new HomePod model that features a curved LCD display, according to the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami."
The device, codenamed B720, apparently features the same design as the current HomePod but with a curved, convex LCD screen at the top to display content.
In October, Kosutami shared images of component parts that allegedly belong to a prototype touch screen HomePod. Other reports at the time claimed to verify the legitimacy of these images with other sources.
More details on HomePod B720
Same panel size and same design with HomePod 2. Screen were bit curved, looks great after got assembled.#appleinternal pic.twitter.com/z8mYgeI3O2 — Kosutami (@KosutamiSan) December 26, 2023
Apple is believed to be working to adapt Apple Music and Apple Podcasts to be compatible with the new display, which will show a blurred animation based on the colors of the album art when a song or podcast is playing. The screen could also potentially show important notifications.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman was first to suggest in 2021 that Apple is working on new HomePods with displays and cameras. Earlier this year, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed Apple plans to release a redesigned HomePod with a 7-inch display in the first half of 2024.
In the long term, Apple is believed to be rethinking its smart home strategy, and is working on a combined Apple TV and HomePod device, as well as a HomePod with a screen mounted on a robotic arm, according to a Gurman.
