Following on from the iPhone event, there are various sources reporting that Apple isn’t finished with this year’s product launches.
For months now there has been speculation that Apple is bringing various improvements to its home setup with a new generation of HomePod devices, an upgraded Apple TV, and potentially a new iPad model. There are more products rumoured, but for this post I’m going to talk about these 3 categories. It’s worth saying up front that none of this is confirmed, and they might not all be announced at the same event, though it’s the HomePod devices that look the most likely to be announced.
A new generation of HomePod
The HomePod mini is rumoured to be getting an upgrade which visually won’t be much different compared to its previous generation, but reportedly there will be new colours available, with pink and green said to be added to the range. Even though these devices may not look very different, they’re rumoured to have under-the-hood improvements including upgraded chips and an improved speaker system, and they’re expected to be powered by the new Siri AI which landed on iPhones last month.
What’s even more exciting about the HomePod rumours is that there’s said to be a new device on the way which includes a display. We’ll refer to this as the Home Hub for now. This has been long rumoured, and the reports suggest a small iPad-like display which sits on the speaker mount. Some sources are speculating it’ll resemble the iMac G4 design as a nod to Apple’s past. It’s rumoured to feature a 6-inch display, which could potentially be removable so you can lift it away (again, this is all rumour at this stage). It’s also speculated that it may include a camera for FaceTime calling.
Apple TV upgrade
The Apple TV is already a neat device, but an upgrade is rumoured to be on the way. As there have been recent upgrades to Apple’s operating systems, it’s speculated that the new Apple TV will form part of your upgraded home setup, and also include enhancements so it can make use of Siri AI. As Apple have been promoting Siri AI having personal context, it would make sense for this experience to launch throughout the full suite of Apple products.
iPad Mini with OLED display
There has been some talk about a new iPad mini which is rumoured to feature an OLED display as well as some hardware improvements. I think a few people were surprised by this rumour, but if it’s true, the mini may still be an appropriate alternative for those who want a smaller device but don’t want to switch to the Duo just yet. Like the rest of this list, it’s not confirmed, and it may not be announced at the same time as the home products.
The event is rumoured to be online only and take place on October 13th, though Apple hasn’t confirmed anything yet. If this is the case, then I’d expect we’d see an announcement of the event next to tell the press and Apple fans that it’s coming.
If the rumours are true, which of these products are you looking forward to seeing? Will any of them be on your wishlist?