Rumors suggest that Apple is currently working on an upgraded version of its main smart speaker. According to recent reports, the tech company has started internal testing for a brand new full-sized HomePod that features built-in support for the newly announced Siri AI platform. While this sounds like a great update for smart home fans, shoppers probably should not expect to see the new device hit store shelves anytime soon.
The upcoming speaker is still far from an official launch
According to a recent report by Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, the company is actively testing new hardware to handle more advanced AI features. The current generation model launched back in January 2023, which means it runs on older silicon that might struggle with the latest artificial intelligence tasks.
Because the newer Siri capabilities require more processing power, its engineering team needs to build a speaker capable of handling these requests directly on the device. However, Gurman noted that the release of this updated speaker does not appear to be imminent. Fans hoping for a surprise reveal at the upcoming fall event will likely walk away disappointed.
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Since the product timeline remains unclear, current owners do not need to rush out and replace their home setups just yet. The development cycle for home audio gear often spans several years, so it makes sense that the company is taking things slow. We will have to wait for further updates to learn when this smarter speaker will finally make its public debut. Notably, Apple is also testing a major HomePod home theater upgrade that would let users build a four-speaker surround sound system using separate front and rear HomePods.
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