Apple's second-generation HomePod is now over three years old, with no sign of a refresh or third-generation model on the horizon.
The original HomePod was announced at WWDC in 2017 and launched in 2018 after a heavily delayed release. The device was met with mixed reviews; critics praised its outstanding sound quality but pointed out its high price, missing features, and limited functionality compared to rivals.
Apple dropped its price from $349 to $299 in April 2019 and, in March 2021, the company announced that it was discontinuing the first-generation HomePod, instead shifting its focus to the HomePod mini, which launched the previous year. The decision left a gap in Apple's product lineup for a full-sized smart speaker until the company introduced the second-generation model via a press release on January 18, 2023. It launched on February 3, 2023.
The second-generation HomePod looks virtually identical to the original, although it is 0.2 inches shorter and has a larger edge-to-edge LED touchscreen on top. It also boasts a range of upgrades and changes compared to its 2018 predecessor, including the S7 chip, a U1 ultra wideband chip, a removable power cable, a temperature and humidity sensor, and sound recognition. However, it features two fewer microphones and horn-loaded tweeters.
Apple is widely rumored to be planning a wave of new smart home devices, including a home security camera, over the next few years, but it is not clear if the HomePod is part of that. Apple appeared to be exploring a new HomePod with a touchscreen display at the top of the device around 2024, ostensibly proven by leaked prototype images, but there have been no further reports of such a device or any third-generation HomePod for over a year.
Rumors about Apple's plans for the smart home now center on an all-new smart home hub device, which has been described as a HomePod with a square iPad-like 7-inch screen and an A18 chip, with support for the next-generation version of Siri. It is expected to launch this year. A new HomePod mini is also rumored to be released this year.
