Things I learned about the rumored HomePod display from macOS beta code
Leaked references in an Apple macOS 26.7 beta point to a long-rumoured HomePod with a built-in screen, suggesting the device is nearing release after years of speculation. The find matters because it would mark Apple's first real attempt at an interactive smart-speaker display, potentially helping the HomePod line compete more directly with rivals such as Amazon's Echo Show devices.
The beta code references a "HomeAccessory" running a tvOS variant with a customisable home screen built around "Faces" and a "Face Gallery," similar in concept to Apple Watch faces, supporting widgets, Smart Stacks and iPhone-proximity detection to hide private information when the owner isn't nearby. It also hints at a wall-mountable version, a separate tabletop robot accessory codenamed J595 (not expected before 2027), and a modestly updated HomePod mini codenamed B525 likely to arrive only with new colour options.
- macOS beta code hints at a HomePod with a customisable screen
- Interface would use Apple Watch-style "Faces" and widgets
- Beta also references a tabletop robot and updated HomePod mini
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Apple’s HomePod is a smart speaker that uses Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, to play music and control connected home devices. A screen-equipped version has been rumoured for several years, as other companies sell smart speakers with displays for video calls, recipes and home controls.
The reported device is expected to run software based on tvOS, which Apple uses for its TV devices. Apple’s HomePod range sits within a wider smart-home market that includes Amazon’s Echo Show, and a display could give people another way to manage their devices and see information at home.