Apple is rumored to be developing a new HomePod with a screen, according to a new report from 9to5Mac. The report is based on images of a prototype HomePod with a large touchscreen sensor at the top that was shared by a leaker known as “Kosutami.“

Kosutami has previously shared accurate pre-release information about Apple products, so the images are likely to be legitimate. 9to5Mac also claims to have verified the legitimacy of the images with its own sources.

The HomePod with a screen is codenamed B720 and is a reportedly new product being actively worked on by Apple. 9to5Mac report suggests that the LcdUTest app shown on the assembled HomePod’s display panel is an internal app used by engineers to test the new display.

The outlet says that Apple may be rewriting some of the tvOS apps so they can run on the new HomePod display. Apple Music and Apple Podcasts are the first apps being rewritten 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.

This is not the first time we have heard rumors about a HomePod with a screen. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman was the first to suggest in 2021 that Apple is working on new HomePods with displays and cameras. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also claimed earlier this year that Apple plans to release a redesigned HomePod with a 7-inch display in the first half of 2024.

It is unclear what other features the new HomePod with screen will have, or how it will be priced. However, it is clear that Apple is interested in developing new smart home products with displays. This could be a way for Apple to differentiate its HomePod products from other smart speakers on the market, and to make them more useful for users.

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(Via)

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Apple recently launched the iPhone 14 series phones and the new Apple Watch Series 8, as well as Watch SE and Watch Ultra, which are now available for purchase. The company is also expected to launch another event by the end of this year, where it is expected to announce new iPad models.

Now, ahead of the launch of the new iPad models, a new report from Mark Gurman of Bloomberg in the Power On newsletter has revealed information about the Mac devices that are expected to get launched next year, i.e., in 2023.

As per the report, Apple is expected to launch a new 15-inch MacBook Air along with the new M3 chips that will power the iMac. The company has also lined up Mac Pro, HomePod, Reality Pro, and a larger iPad to go official sometime next year. There is also a possibility that the company will launch a combined product of Apple TV, HomePod, and Facetime cameras towards the end of 2023.

The reports about a new 15-inch MacBook Air have been making rounds for some time now, and the Cupertino-based giant is also expected to increase the size of the 13.3-inch MacBook Air, but it will remain under 14-inch.

If this latest report is to be believed, then Apple will be skipping the M2-powered iMac and will directly launch new iMac devices next year, which will come powered by the yet unannounced Apple Silicon’s M3 chipset.

There’s also a possibility of a larger iPad Pro making its debut in the year 2023, which will likely have a 14.1-inch display. The new HomePod is expected to come powered by the S8 processor, which also powers the new Apple Watch Series 8.

The highly-anticipated and long-rumored Apple Glasses are set to be released next year, and the Mixed Reality Headset is believed to feature a three-display configuration, featuring two Micro OLED 4K displays and another AMOLED panel for low-resolution peripheral vision.

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Apple HomePod smart speaker could be getting a major new feature in the next-generation model and reports revealing that information has now started surfacing online.

If the latest reports are to be believed, then the Cupertino-based technology giant is working on a revamped HomePod smart speaker which will act as a smart display with a built-in camera.

It is also being claimed that the next-generation HomePod with support for Face ID could come powered by the company’s own tvOS. The report adds that Apple is planning to add a built-in camera to the speaker for handling FaceTime conversations.

Being a smart speaker with a display and a camera, the next-generation model could compete against the likes of Google Nest Hub Max and the Amazon Echo Show, both of which are smart speakers with a display, camera, and a voice assistant.

While there are reports about this new HomePod with Face ID powered by tvOS, there’s not much information available at this time. Even the launch timeline of such a product remains unknown. Thus, it is highly unlikely to get unveiled at WWDC this year but the company could tease such a product at WWDC or reveal some more information about it.

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Samsung might be trying its hand in the smart speaker segment again, as rumors have surfaced of a device dubbed the Galaxy Home Mini 2 being in the works.

According to a report by SamMobile, sources reveal that Samsung is working on the second generation of the Galaxy Home Mini smart speaker, which carries model number SM-V320. The upcoming smart speaker may come with a display, making it more of a smart display than just a smart speaker. Other than that, no information about the rumored device is available right now.

This is not Samsung’s first rodeo when it comes to smart speakers, as Samsung has previously launched its first Galaxy Home smart speaker back in 2018 and followed it up with Galaxy Home Mini in February 2020. If you are wondering why you’ve never heard about these smart speakers before, that might be because Samsung never released these devices outside their home country of South Korea. The upcoming Galaxy Home Mini 2 is expected to meet the same fate as its predecessor when it comes to global availability, but it is far too early to say for sure.

The smart speaker segment is currently dominated by Amazon’s Alexa, Google‘s Nest speakers, and Apple’s HomePod range of speakers. We hope Samsung will soon step into the global smart speaker market, offering a little Bixby flavored variety.

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At a launch event in Shanghai, China yesterday, Huawei launched a few products, including Huawei Sound X smart speaker which has been co-developed by Huawei along with Devialet, a French-audio company.

Now, comments from the company’s executive indicates that Huawei is quite confident about the success of this speaker in China. Yu Chengdong, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business has claimed that the sales of Huawei Sound X will “certainly be more than Apple HomePad” in China.

While the Huawei Sound X is priced at 1,999 yuan, the Apple HomePod costs 2,299 yuan in China. The smart speaker from Huawei is currently up for pre-orders in the company’s home market with a deposit of 100 yuan and will start shipping from 5th December.

As for the features, the Sound X comes with two 3.5” subwoofers (60W in total) and uses SAM bass enhancement technology and is claimed to be the first smart speaker with a Hi-Res certification. As per the company, the bass can dive to an ultralow frequency of 40Hz, allowing you to feel the bass effect with your entire body.

It offer sound intensity of 93 decibels and Huawei says that even at such a high volume, sounds are not distorted because the speaker uses Devialet’s Push-Push acoustic design. The Push-Push design has two symmetrical woofers installed in a confined space and cancels out noise generated at a high volume by using the back-wave thrust.

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The speaker also comes with six evenly distributed 1.5” 8W mid-range speakers alongside the subwoofers which are tuned using Huawei’s Histen sound algorithm. The Sound X also has spatial awareness, so it adjusts sound output depending on where it is placed.

The company has placed microphones around the speaker that can pick up your voice from up to 5 meters away. The combination of the 1.5GHz MediaTek MT8518 quad-core processor and anti-interference signal processing technology ensures that your commands are picked up even in a noisy environment. It comes with 512MB of RAM and 8GB of storage. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, and has a power rating of 24V 2.7A.

The Huawei Sound X also has NFC support and if your phone too has NFC, all you have to do is touch it against the NFC icon on the speaker. The speaker can also be paired with another unit for a dual-speaker stereo mode. It can be used to control compatible smart home products. Huawei’s HiLink technology works with products from Midea, Gree, TCL, Haier, Skyworth, Bosch, Siemens and more.

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