New Apple HomePod release date: What we know so far

Apple nixed the first HomePod from its lineup back in March 2021, suddenly and without explanation, although it’s fair to assume sluggish sales were behind the move. 

In the months following its discontinuation, the original HomePod became a highly sought-after item, often fetching prices north of $500.

Given the resurgent popularity of the bigger HomePod, it’s less surprising that Apple would seek to resurrect the HomePod mini’s larger sibling.

Apple hasn’t said a word about a successor to the original HomePod, but there’s been growing speculation that a new version of the larger HomePod is in the works. 

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was among the first to predict a new HomePod back in May 2022, but he was light on details, noting only that “there may not be much innovation in hardware design.”

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman followed up in June, 2022 with more specifics, reporting that a new and larger HomePod could soon be on the way.

More recently, Gurman repeated that the “return of the larger HomePod size” was almost certain.

Again, we haven’t seen much detail on the new HomePod’s precise specifications, but Gurman says that the revamped HomePod will be “closer to the original HomePod in terms of size.”

The first, full-size HomePod measured 6.8 x 5.6 inches (HxW) and tipped the scales at 5.5 pounds, considerably larger and heavier than the 3.3 x 3.6-inch (HxW) and 0.76-pound HomePod mini, which arrived back in November 2020.

The first HomePod packed Apple’s custom A8 chip, found in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the iPad mini 4, and the fourth-gen Apple TV. 

According to Bloomberg’s Gurman, the new Apple HomePod will run on the S8, the chip that powers the current Apple Watch Series 8.

Gurman first made that prediction last summer, and he repeated it at the beginning of 2023. 

The first HomePod packed an impressive punch when it came to audio, arriving complete with seven “horn-loaded” tweeters and a high-excursion woofer, with each driver powered by its own discrete amplifier. The newer HomePod mini, in contrast, makes do with a single full-range driver and dual passive radiators.

It’s still not clear what driver configuration the new Apple HomePod will have, but Bloomberg’s Gurman thinks it will boast audio performance that’s “closer” to the first HomePod, which should be encouraging news for audiophiles. 

Apple has yet to release a smart display similar to Amazon’s Echo Show devices or Google’s Nest Hubs, sticking instead to its audio-only HomePod and HomePod mini.

There was some intriguing chatter in 2021 about potential iPad, HomePod, and Apple TV mashups, and in April 2022, Mark Gurman noted that he “absolutely” thinks “a new HomePod is coming–specifically, a device that combines a HomePod, Apple TV, and FaceTime camera.”

Gurman also believes Apple has yet another display-equipped home product in development: a “kitchen device” that “combines an iPad and a speaker,” although it’s not clear whether this particular gadget would count as a HomePod.

Exciting stuff, but Gurman warned at the time of his predictions that the devices are still “in [Apple’s] labs” and that “not all will see the light of day.”

Meanwhile, the new HomePod that’s reportedly coming soon probably won’t have a display, although it may have an “updated touch control panel on the top,”

The first-generation HomePod and the current HomePod mini can function as HomeKit hubs, so it’s all but certain that the second-generation HomePod will have that feature.

Also, given Apple’s support for Matter, it’s also a safe bet that any new HomePod will be able to operate as a Thread border router.

One of the sticking points of the original HomePod was its price tag: a whopping $349, which Apple eventually chopped to a still hefty $299. The newer HomePod mini, in contrast, costs a more reasonable $99.

Naturally, we still don’t know how much a second-generation HomePod might cost, although Gurman recently reported that it will likely have a “lower price.”

All bets are off, however, when it comes to a potential high-end HomePod with a display. Could such a device cost, say, $499 or more? It’s not out of the question.

The new Apple HomePod release date is still a question mark, although Gurman believes the “return of the larger HomePod” is “still set” for 2023.

It’s reasonable to assume that Apple is working on a second-generation HomePod mini, but it’s hard to say when the update might break cover.

For his part, Gurman reports that Apple is “considering” a HomePod mini refresh, but added that a “super-impressive” redesign probably isn’t in the cards.