Apple is reportedly still developing a HomePod that has a built-in Apple TV and FaceTime camera, according to Mark Gourmet of Bloomberg.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Gourmet says the new HomePod is still on the way, stressing that the smart speaker remains “at the heart of Apple’s approach to home.” That reflects what Tim Tverdhal, Apple’s vice president of home audio product marketing, said in an interview with MobileSyrup last May.
Gurman first reported rumors of this combo device late last year, saying the camera would be used to make video calls via TV, similar to the ill-fated 2nd-generation Kinect of Microsoft for the Xbox One. After this initial rumor, this is the first time we hear that the project is still under development.
It is unclear when Apple will unveil its HomePod / Apple TV hybrid. Apple discontinued its larger HomePod in March 2021 in favor of the smaller HomePod mini, which launches in 2020.
Apple is probably aiming for this new HomePod concept to be the true successor to the original version of the smart speaker.
Source: Bloomberg
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