Apple is reportedly testing prototypes that combine the Apple TV and the HomePod into a single product (HomePod TV?). The company is also said to be adding a FaceTime camera into the device for video calls. 9to5Mac has tried their hand at creating a concept image of how this “HomePod TV” device could look.
While our concept imagines what this product might look like, it’s truly a shot in the dark. A product like this might require an entirely new design from Apple rather than some kind of Frankenstein monster made up of different pieces of the HomePod and Apple TV 4K. We tried putting the best of each together to imagine a product that would feel familiar to customers.
What I’ve imagined is essentially a stretched Apple TV box, around the width of 4 Apple TV 4Ks. The sides are covered in the same mesh as HomePod and speakers are hidden behind it. In the center, there’s a wide angle camera lens for FaceTime calls tucked away behind the mesh to keep the front of the device clean on your shelf. On the far-right side, instead of the existing white light that acts as a power indicator, the Siri lights could appear behind the mesh. It could show up when you’re talking to Siri both through a remote or on the speaker itself. When one calls, it could glow green to represent a camera indicator as well.
MacDailyNews Take: A camera for FaceTime (and Zoom, etc.) should have been built into Apple TV units years ago. Hopefully, HomePod TV will sometime see the light of day!
Hopefully my cheque is in the post Apple, though I guess it was hardly a giant leap of genius to actually visualise such a device even 5 years back.
The camera is in the AppleTV, meaning I need to be very careful where I put it? shrug. We have iPhones for this, guys.
Two Apple TV’s. 1. Updated version with newer processor. 2. High-End M1 or M1x version for gaming and such. No camera! Router built-in please!!!
On second thought, while a camera would be stupid, it’s a rumor and some may “think”it’s a camera… Think again.
If Apple did make a gaming high-end version, then LiDAR inclusion for VR or special awareness/interaction gaming would be highly useful…
Where there is smoke their “could” be fire. I doubt it’s a camera, but rather a LiDAR section.
I’m hoping Apple also incorporates HomePod tech into the new iMac’s design, to make it sound better without the need for external speakers or the wearing of headphones.
While I like the functionality aspects, that rendered guess at how it might look is Fugly. If it was any company other than Apple we were talking about I would never allow a FaceTime type of camera but, so far, Apple has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep our privacy. Rare these days from a mega corporation. I would buy this product if as described.