In the latest issue of the “Power On” newsletter at Bloomberg News, Mark Gurman reports that Apple is continuing to work on a device that combines an Apple TV, HomePod, and FaceTime camera.
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
Q: Do you think a new HomePod or home device is still coming?
A: I absolutely do think a new HomePod is coming — specifically, a device that combines a HomePod, Apple TV and FaceTime camera. I don’t think a big stand-alone HomePod is still in development, but perhaps a new HomePod mini is coming. In any case, the combination product will probably be at the center of Apple’s approach, with HomePod minis surrounding that throughout the home.
MacDailyNews Take: HomePod TV.
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! _ MacDailyNews, April 13, 2021
A combined Apple TV + HomePod would be very compelling. In nearly every place where we have an Apple TV, a HomePod is within a few feet or could be. We imagine an Apple TV + iPad combo device would be like an Echo Show on steroids. – MacDailyNews, April 12, 2021
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Who invites a listening device into their home…especially these days?!
Crazy people who dictate their manifestos into it. Most of us sane people dictate them into our computers and let them play over and over into Alexa.
I sincerely hope it is not centered around the HomePod mini. The HomePod mini is a terrible device compared to the original HomePod. The sound is extremely disappointed even when paired
Would you trust Apple again after the HomePod assassination?
May be good for some customers. Not for me. My audio system is decades old and still sounds “analog” great. My HDTV (not 4K) is connected to that audio, and my Apple TV HD (not 4K) is connected to HDTV. I’m happy with setup. AND I do NOT want a FaceTime camera in that setup.
Completely agree about audio. Actual audio quality doesn’t improve with miniaturization and streaming. In the home, there’s no reason to downgrade to homepod sized cans.
It’s not about analog vs digital, either path can be amazing. While it is a huge convenience to manage a non-degrading digital collection with at least Redbook CD uncompressed audio, the speaker, placement, and amplifier dominates the quality of playback after that.
4K resolution televisions are worth the upgrade. Even if you think your viewing room is too small to benefit from the higher resolution, the newest OLEDs are relatively inexpensive, with black levels now finally eclipsing the best plasmas, and color accuracy better than ever.
I have no desire to ever have any two-way spy can from any company. Never mind that this site was blindly shilling for Apple’s me-too spy cans when they first came out.
The “analog” in my comment was about my sound producing hardware being old-school, not overly integrated and computerized, sounding over-processed. The source material being “digital” is fine; I think digital recordings generally sound better. My hardware isn’t particularly high-end. The main speakers are large and can drown out dialog when watching a movie or TV show. Since my old receiver has output connections for a center channel, I added separate (single) 🔊 that boosts mid-range (the voices). Also had a subwoofer on center channel but removed because the big main speakers have enough low bass. The new high-tech sound is precise but sounds less full.
This is dumb. My Apple TV is hidden. My speakers are NOT right beside the TV. And the HomePod “mini” sounds terrible compared with the original.
Hopefully Apple will combine the AppleTV and HomePod, and have a Thunderbolt port for the camera (so that it can be located in a reasonable position). Combining all three devices into one box sounds Frankensteinish.
This combo definitely is born of the Tim Cook era of Apple. A product no one asked for and has redundant functionality we already have in our mobile devices. I’m still waiting on the magic spark with TV we were teased with in Walt’s book about Steve. Obviously that idea – along with thousands more – died with Steve,