tvOS 17.4 Allegedly Hints at HomePod With Display
The tvOS 17.4 beta that was released today contains code that references a future HomePod with a display, according to 9to5Mac. The site claims that there is evidence of a device with a "Z314" identifier with an A15 chip inside, with both production and "internal" versions of the device being tested by Apple.
Based on our findings, the unreleased "Z314" device is powered by an A15 Bionic chip, which interestingly is the same as the iPad mini 6. Code reveals that there are internal development and also production versions of this product under test, which suggests that it may have reached an advanced stage of development.
The latest beta also reportedly adds SwiftUI frameworks to the HomePod firmware to support a HomePod with a display.
We've heard multiple rumors about a HomePod with a touchscreen display from reliable sources. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in March 2023 that there was a HomePod with a 7-inch display in development, and in October 2023, leaker Kosutami said the next-generation HomePod would have a design similar to the current model but with a large LCD touch screen at the top instead of an LED array.
HomePods to date have been equipped with the same chips that Apple uses in the Apple Watch rather than the A-series chips used in Apple devices, so 9to5Mac's finding of an A15 Bionic mention could reflect a shift. The S9 chip in the Apple Watch Series 9 is, however, based on the A15 Bionic, and so that would also make sense for a new HomePod.
In 2023, Kuo claimed that the HomePod with display would launch in the first half of 2024, but we have not heard additional release details since then. It is not yet clear when the device might come out, but Apple is planning to debut new iPads and Macs around the March timeframe, so we might also see a new HomePod at that time.
Popular Stories
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more.
Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1.
Release Date
Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
Apple Maps could feature integrated ads as soon as next year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple's plan to bring more ads to iOS is moving "gaining traction," with the Maps app being next in line. The project will apparently give restaurants and other businesses the option to pay to have their details featured more prominently in...
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors.
...
In the fourth iOS 26.1 beta, Apple added a "Tinted" option that reduces the translucency of Liquid Glass for those who prefer a more opaque look. I saw some comments wondering whether the setting might preserve battery life, so I thought I'd do some testing.
Test Settings
I did four separate tests using the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I kept the parameters as similar as possible. Here are the...
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below.
Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more.
iOS 26.1 is currently in beta testing. The update will likely be released in the first half of November, and it is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer, but some...
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas.
The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
The first preview release of the Swift SDK for Android was published this week, allowing developers to build Android apps in Swift with official tooling and making it easier to share code across iOS and Android.
The SDK enables Android apps to be built in Swift using officially supported tooling rather than community workarounds. In June, it was announced that Apple's Swift programming...
