Apple HomePod LCD Display Component Image Leak Hints at Arrival of Upgraded Model

Apple is reportedly working on an updated version of its HomePod smart speaker that is equipped with an LCD display, and an image of a component from the purported device has now surfaced online. A tipster has leaked an image of what appears to be the glass cover for the next-generation HomePod that could be equipped with a touchscreen display that is likely to be surrounded by the speaker and could display important information — such as incoming notifications or media playback controls.

A tipster with the username Kosutami (@Kosutami_Ito) leaked an image of the purported HomePod's display cover. The component is circular and is shown to have a curved surface in the image. It also suggests that the touchscreen will have a glossy finish. The tweet also says this is the B720 prototype, which was previously spotted online.

Earlier this year, an unnamed device referred to as Z314 was spotted on a beta version of tvOS 17.4, which was eventually rolled out to customers in March. The yet-to-be-announced device is expected to run on Apple's A15 Bionic chip and run on tvOS, as per the report. The second-generation HomePod is powered by Apple's S7 chipset.

The same tipster leaked images of the purported frame of a HomePod with a touchscreen display in October last year, with black bezels. At the time, the user had claimed that the device would bear a resemblance to Apple's second generation HomePod, which was launched in February 2023, five years after the launch of the first HomePod.

TF Securities International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously predicted that Apple was planning on launching a HomePod model with a 7-inch touchscreen display in 2024. Kuo said at the time that Tianma will be the sole supplier for the purported HomePod, which he claimed would arrive in H1 2024. The device would compete against Amazon's Echo Show and Google's Nest Hub.