The HomePod is one of Apple’s most under-the-radar products. Currently, two types of this Big Apple speaker are on the market: the standard generation and the mini generation. However, there are already many rumors about the creation of a new hybrid HomePod with the possible integration of a touch screen that could integrate homeOS, a new operating system from Apple. Actually, tvOS 17.4 reintroduces references to homeOS, an operating system concept that we heard about in 2021 and since then we’ve only had rumors about it.
A little context: HomePod with touchscreen and homeOS
First, let’s set the context to understand the timeline of these rumors. In June 2021, Apple offered a series of jobs mentioning the development of homeOS, as part of a development program focused on Apple Music. A few weeks later, when they realized that name was spelled, the homeOS concept was removed and the job offer remained valid. Since then, we haven’t heard anything from homeOS and everything we know is just speculation.
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On the other hand, we have information that Apple intended to launch a HomePod with a touch screen up to 7 inches in the first half of 2024. This information dated from the beginning of 2023 and during these first months of 2024 we have not heard anything more on this subject, except that Apple continues to work on this idea of a hybrid HomePod with a possible touch screen attached to the structure or a possible iPad mini in place of an external screen.
homeOS, a recurring concept that gives us more doubts than answers
But as we told them, The homeOS concept has now reappeared in the beta versions of tvOS 17.4. A few months after the launch of the first HomePods, Apple changed its operating system and they no longer worked with iOS but with tvOS. Since then, HomePods have run a variant of tvOS, the Apple TV operating system.
We always understood homeOS as an operating system that could combine tvOS and the HomePod to be able to have the versatility of both scenarios in a possible new HomePod. In addition, integrating a touch screen would require developing part of the code for this screen, with the aim of not depending on iOS or iPadOS.
This new smart screen would directly compete with devices like Google’s Nest Hub or the Meta Portal, which work like home automation hubs. And given the importance that Apple has placed on home automation in recent years, it would not be surprising if homeOS will culminate with the launch of a device of this type which also combined speakers in the form of HomePod.
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Additionally, the iOS 17.4 beta also shows SharePlay functionality on HomePods. This function allows sharing content with other users and/or devices and could make sense with a HomePod that has a touch screen to transmit audiovisual content from our iPad, iPhone or Mac.
It is likely that around March Apple will announce a keynote to present its new range of iPads and this could be the ideal time to present this new home automation hub which would have homeOS inside, an operating system that could be separated from WWDC24 to allow more time for other, larger operating systems like iOS, iPadOS, watchOS or visionOS.
