2024 was not a good year for fans of refreshed Apple product lines: It was the first twelve-month period in 13 years in which There are no completely new products in the line-up Was declared. Hopefully this will change in 2025: then, among other things, Apple’s new “Home product” is expected. According to recent speculations, it may appear as early as spring. Rumors go in different directions: Is this a kind of mini iPad for HomeKit control that can be turned into a speaker using the dock? Or is Apple finally giving the HomePod a proper display? Is it two devices or one? Over the past few weeks, the latest information has come from Asia, which we have compiled in the following article.
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ordered cheap LCD panel
This is what Apple should do, according to Electronics Magazine digitimes A cost-effective supplier has been found for the 7-inch LCD display for the “HomePod”. It is unclear whether this matches the home device. The manufacturer is Tianma Company, which charges only $10 per panel. This will help in pricing the device more competitively.
When it comes to the SoC installed, Apple is reportedly thinking about the A18. This chip will be comparatively new, as it is in the standard and Pro versions of the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro. This is to make sure that the new Home device (and/or the HomePod with the screen) can run Apple Intelligence, as the HomePod can’t yet. Information about the A18 SoC is also available from another source, such as Ming-Chi Kuo from financial house TF International Securities, which is usually well-connected in Apple’s supply chain. He also talks about a “6 to 7-inch HomePod” in 2025.
Apple wants to go further in the smart home
Apple has been active in the smart home business for many years. However, apart from the HomePods, there is no product of its own in this segment yet, instead, the group is focusing on software, the latter moving more and more towards Matter. In addition to the “Home product,” there are also plans to reportedly introduce an actual Apple smart home product for the first time this year.
This could be a doorbell or a security video camera. However, it is unclear how far these plans have progressed. The Home product will also receive a new operating system called HomeOS, which, like the HomePod firmware, is based on tvOS. Obviously there should not be any separate app store for this.
(B.Sc.)
