Apple appears to be preparing a four-HomePod surround-sound setup for Apple TV 4K, according to MacRumors‘ Joe Rossignol, who reports that fresh software evidence has surfaced ahead of an expected product announcement.
Rossignol writes that a leaker known as “pdfu,” who previously said Apple had tested connecting four HomePods to an Apple TV 4K in front-left, front-right, rear-left, and rear-right positions, has found more related code in the third beta of audioOS 27.2, Apple’s internal name for the HomePod operating system. Among the findings, the leaker said Siri can match a speaker to its surround system.
Separately, MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris found two new SF Symbols in the third beta of macOS 27.2 that depict four speakers arranged in a room. The symbols do not name the HomePod, but one looks like a top-down view of the speakers and the other refers to a home-theater setup. Their addition at this stage is being read as another sign that the feature is real.
Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman has said Apple plans to unveil a new HomePod mini and a new Apple TV 4K on Tuesday, October 13th, with a full-size HomePod refresh still expected later. It is not clear whether four-speaker surround would need new hardware. According to Rossignol’s report, pdfu previously said Apple tested both four second-generation HomePods and a mix of two second-generation HomePods in front with two unreleased rear speakers. It is also unclear whether current Apple TV 4K models would be included or whether the feature would be limited to the next model.
MacDailyNews Note: Today, Apple TV 4K can use a pair of HomePods or HomePod mini units as its default stereo output. With new HomePod and Apple TV models reportedly close, and with matching clues in software code and system symbols, Rossignol concludes that Apple is likely to show the feature soon unless something changes at the last minute.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
