Apple may have discontinued the original HomePod, but apparently the company still has big plans for its wireless speaker, as well as its Apple TV set-top box. According to a Bloomberg report from the usually reliable Mark Gurman, the tech giant plans to merge the two in at least one future product.
Gurman writes: The company is working on a product that would combine an Apple TV set-top box with a HomePod speaker and include a camera for video conferencing through a connected TV and other smart-home functions, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters.
The device’s other capabilities would include standard Apple TV box functions like watching video and gaming plus smart speaker uses such as playing music and using Apple’s Siri digital assistant.
The Sellers Research Group (that’s me) thinks that there’s an 80% chance this will happen. After all, Gurman is one of the most accurate leakers of Apple news. And Apple did merge its HomePod and Apple TV divisions in 2020.
To me, this sounds like a REALLY big iPad with HomePod Speakers and an Apple TV built in… much like a Ruku TV…