According to Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter, Apple has “at least four new smart home devices in its labs,” though he adds that “not all of them will see the light of day.” Gurman mentions one of these devices as an update to the original HomePod that was discontinued in 2021, which he has previously reported on. This device is said to be called the B620 and is claimed to run the same chip as the Apple Watch Series 8, while being closer to the discontinued HomePod “in terms of size and audio performance” than the HomePod mini. An updated HomePod mini was also mentioned in the newsletter, along with a kitchen device that combines an iPad and a speaker and a living room device that combines Apple TV, camera and HomePod. The iPad and speaker combo, we think is a smart display like the Nest Hub and Echo Show models, though perhaps with an interface that lets you do a bit more, especially if it’s running iPadOS. However, it is possible that a new stripped-down OS could happen on a smart display. Gurman believes the smart display or living room device could launch in late 2023 or early 2024, but that’s all the information on offer for now. However, an Apple Smart Display makes perfect sense. Britta O’Boyle writes.
