In response to a command, Siri on HomePod said that answer is displayed on the screen. Apple’s voice assistant on iOS 14.5 beta 1 and HomePod 15.3 possibly hinted at a redesigned smart speaker with a screen to display answers or controls.
Three years after the launch of the HomePod in 2017, Apple upgraded its smart speaker line up with the launch of a more affordable HomePod mini in 2020. Although the larger model was discontinued in 2021, it still receives software updates and now has given some validation to rumors of a new smart speaker with a display.
Didi Siri glitch or leak Apple’s upcoming HomePod with a screen?
In March 2021, Bloomberg reported that Apple is working on new smart speaker models with screens and cameras, however, their launch was years away; “It has also been developing new speakers with screens and cameras, but such a launch isn’t imminent.”
Then FaceTime and iMessage frameworks in the code of tvOS 14.5 beta were discovered which substantiated Bloomberg’s claim.
That means features included in tvOS are also included in the HomePod software since they have the same base code. Therefore, the FaceTime, iMessage, and image capture frameworks added to tvOS in tvOS 14.5 could actually be designed for a future HomePod that has a screen and a camera, as described by Gurman.
The HomePod and HomePod mini are able to use FaceTime audio already, but the FaceTime framework discovered in the 14.5 beta is distinct from any code related to the existing audio FaceTime feature. The frameworks are in the tvOS 14.5 beta and the 14.5 HomePod software beta available to select testers.
Therefore, it is likely that Siri did not glitch and gave us a leak. @u/totalsoda shared:
[iOS 14.5 B1, audioOS 15.3] HomePod tells me the answer is displayed on the HomePod as if it has a screen… Future HomePod with screen leak? Or Siri being dim from iOSBeta
HomePod was not a successful model for its high price tag and closed ecosystem. But the HomePod mini model changed the dynamics for Apple in the smart speaker market. In Q3, 2021, Strategy Analytics reported that Apple doubled its market share in the smart speaker segment because of HomePod mini. In the third quarter of 2020, the tech company had only a 5.9% market share which doubled to 10.2% in Q3 of 2021.
But Amazon and Google continued to dominate the industry with a combined 50% market share between the two companies. Thus, a new speaker with a screen like Nest Hub Max by Google, and Echo Show by Amazon might help it to compete with rivals.
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