tvOS 18 Hints at HomePod With Touchscreen Display

There have been multiple rumors about Apple's work on various Apple TV and HomePod hybrid devices with a touchscreen over the last few years, and new findings in the tvOS 18 update further hint at the development that Apple is doing in the home space.

Second Generation HomePod With Top LCD Feature
A unique touchscreen interface was allegedly found buried in tvOS 18 beta 3 by 9to5Mac, and the finding is actually relevant to the ‌HomePod‌ because the ‌HomePod‌'s software is an offshoot of the tvOS software. The interface is called "PlasterBoard" internally, and PlasterBoard is in line with the naming for other Apple interfaces, which include SpringBoard for iOS and iPadOS, PineBoard for tvOS, SoundBoard for ‌HomePod‌, and SurfBoard for visionOS. The interface appears to feature just a Lock Screen with a touch-based keyboard for entering passcodes as of right now, with little else discovered about it.

The ‌Apple TV‌ does not include an option for locking it with a passcode, nor does the ‌HomePod‌ because as of right now, the ‌HomePod‌ only supports simple control gestures. The design that was found in the beta closely resembles the on-screen keypad that you see on an iPhone or an iPad.

Rumors have suggested that Apple is working on several home control devices, and the mix of rumors we've heard indicate that multiple development paths and prototypes are being explored. There have been rumors of a simple ‌HomePod‌ with a touch display at the top, a hybrid ‌HomePod‌ and Apple TV device with a camera, a ‌HomePod‌ with a screen and a camera, and an iPad/HomePod sort of combo that works as a centralized home hub.

A standard ‌HomePod‌ with an LED touch-based display at the top of the device could potentially be the first HomePod and display combo that we see. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said a HomePod with 7-inch display would launch at some point in 2024, and there have been leaked prototype images.

Last week, MacRumors found code referencing a "Home Accessory" device with a HomeAccessory17,1 identifier. No existing ‌HomePod‌ or ‌Apple TV‌ devices use the HomeAccessory identifier, but it is similar to the AudioAccessory identifier that Apple uses internally for the ‌HomePod‌. Based on the numbering, this upcoming device is equipped with the same A18 chip we expect to see in the iPhone 16 lineup.

Related Roundups: HomePod, HomePod mini

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...

Top Rated Comments

betasp Avatar
13 months ago
That design in the photo is just silly from a usability perspective. Who stands over top this HomePod for information?
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Oblivious.Robot Avatar
13 months ago
Throw everything at the wall to see what sticks.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gleepskip Avatar
13 months ago

Yeah there's no way they'd go with this design. I like what Amazon and Google are doing, and I wish Apple would make a horizontal magnetic dock for iPad that, when connected, changes the iPad's interface to something more akin to one of the larger Echo Show's.
I would love that, but Apple will never do it. They want you to buy a standalone device with a screen for maximum profit instead of a BYOT dock like Google have.

Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macfacts Avatar
13 months ago

That design in the photo is just silly from a usability perspective. Who stands over top this HomePod for information?
Might as well put the display on the bottom of the homepod.?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TMRJIJ Avatar
13 months ago
This hardware design will not work for people who keep their speakers on the top shelf…
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Premium1 Avatar
13 months ago
If it looks like the image, that is such a stupid design. I could MAYBE see if it was like what amazon and Google were doing (with a larger screen in front) but this just seems dumb (and terrible from a usability standpoint). Never once have I thought "man I really wish I could touch the screen on the homepod to interact with it."
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)