Adam Kos It was June 5, 2017, when Apple introduced its first smart speaker HomePod at WWDC. He started selling it in 2018, then stopped it last March. In the offer, it only has a smaller version of it in the form of the HomePod mini, which was released in November 2020 and last fall, Apple updated it with new colors. But now we are impatiently waiting for the new generation. What do we know about her?
Design
In early May, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the new HomePod is likely to retain the design that people are already familiar with. Well, we don't have to be supply chain analysts to think that either. It just depends on the dimensions of the speaker. If Apple is based on the original model, it will be a cylinder, but it can also just increase the dimensions of the HomePod mini, or perhaps come up with a longitudinal cylinder solution.
Gallery
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman mentioned some time ago that the new HomePod could be a combination of an Apple TV, a smart speaker and a device for FaceTime calls. We're not saying that it's not completely unrealistic, as Google is also trying a similar strategy, but this would of course negate Kuo's "prophecy".
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Vratislav Holub Properties
Not much is known about the new product, so it is impossible to guess what technologies the device should offer. What is certain is support for AirPlay 2, Dolby Atmos and, if possible, lossless music playback support, although there is a big question mark here as to whether this is technologically possible. The device should be even more deeply integrated among Apple products, when the company should especially ensure seamless communication between the speaker and devices in the home.
Introducing the HomePod mini
It would also be beneficial if the novelty included a U1 chip for fast transfer of songs between the iPhone and the speaker and compatibility with eARC, so that the HomePod could be used as the main speaker connected to the Apple TV. Imagine being able to place four HomePods in your living room, each serving as an independent sound channel, or if there was an option to set up a 5.1 surround system using the larger HomePod as a subwoofer. But let's not look at the price of the assembly in that case, the important thing is that it would be possible.
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Price
Now that we've nailed the price, Apple must really care about it. The first HomePod was a flop because it was simply expensive. Apple even discounted it at one point to boost its sales. The original model sold for $349, then its price dropped to $299. HomePod mini is sold by Apple for $99. This means that in order for the product not to cannibalize the mini model, but still not be overpriced like the original HomePod, it should have a price tag of around $200. It could thus be sold in our country for a price of up to 5 thousand CZK. If it was even officially sold here.
It all depends on what equipment the novelty will bring. So above we consider the price of the product that Kuo envisions. If we were to talk about the Gurman version, it would probably not be a problem to swing over the $300 mark (approx. CZK 7).
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When will the new HomePod be released?
Kuo says that we will see it in Q4 2022 or Q1 2023. Gurman says that the model he prophesies will come in 2023. After all, both of them could be right, because they both mention very different devices and it is not excluded that Apple really has more products in store for us . If we look at the evaluation of sources since the beginning of the year according to AppleTrack.com, Gurman has 86,5% accuracy of his predictions, but Kuo is losing slightly and currently has 72,5%. However, the score may drop for both if Apple surprises and shows the new HomePod on June 6 at WWDC 22. It would be five years after the company's first smart speaker.
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