HomePod 3 with screen: HomePod Touch rumors and release date
Foundry and Apple
- Possible launch: from early to mid 2026
- Display size: Touch screen 6 and 7 inches
- Software: Custom touch operating system with apps like Weather, Calendar, Photos, HomeKit and also Apple Music
The HomePod mini has a bigger sibling, and even bigger things are rumored for this model.
One of the HomePod’s biggest limitations is its reliance on Siri, which still struggles with complex commands. Many users control the speaker through their iPhone instead, which can be inconvenient and drains the battery. A built-in screen could provide a more direct and reliable way to interact with the device.
Apple has long been speculated to be working on a HomePod with a built-in display, which could be called HomePod Touch. The device is expected to have a 6-7-inch touchscreen, which would allow the HomePod to act as a smart hub with apps and visuals in addition to being a smart speaker.
This new HomePod would run homeOS or a similar touch-optimized user interface for apps like Weather, Calendar, Photos, Apple Music, and HomeKit.
Apple has been working on redesigning the HomePod to include a display for some time. In March 2023, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that Apple “will introduce a redesigned HomePod with a 7-inch panel”. Kuo originally expected the product to arrive in the first half of 2024, but that timeline fell through. In December 2024, he announced that another delay pushed the launch until after WWDC 2025, citing software development challenges. Then, in March 2025, Kuo suggested that the device was delayed again due to Apple Intelligence failures.
Current speculation suggests a possible release in the first half of 2026, but that could fall further as major updates to Apple’s Siri and AI platform have been further delayed. Alternatively, the HomePod Touch may gain AI-related features as part of a later software update.
Will the HomePod come with a display?
Foundry
HomePod Touch: Features and Specs
As with the HomePod mini 2, the touchscreen HomePod is expected to include a chip capable of supporting AI-enhanced Siri, but it will also need to support its own touchscreen operating system, possibly derived from tvOS. Given the demands of such a touch interface and advanced software, that would likely mean A-series or even M-series silicon, perhaps the A17 Pro.
Rather than just a speaker with a screen, the device is thought to be a central smart home controller with improved HomeKit and Matter device control that can compete with Google’s Nest Hub and Amazon’s Echo Show.
Other expected features include:
- Specifications: Apple N1 network chip, Wi-Fi 6E support and improved U2 Ultra Wideband chip for better device handover.
- Modular design: Some rumors point to a modular design where a screen-based hub could magnetically attach to a full-sized HomePod speaker. This could allow the device to act as a stationary high-fidelity speaker while supporting FaceTime calls and smart home management.
- Display: The display is widely rumored to be around 7 inches, putting it in direct competition with smart displays from Amazon and Google.
Ben Patterson/Foundry
HomePod Touch: Design
Unlike current HomePods that rely on a small LED surface for controls and animations, this model is expected to have a 7-inch full display capable of displaying useful information and acting as a touchscreen control interface.
Some time ago, Swiss website Handy Abovevergleich and designer Eric Huismann created a series of conceptual illustrations of what this new generation of HomePod could look like. This is how they imagine what the HomePod Show could look like — a speaker with a camera and a small touchscreen.
Foundry
However, this updated HomePod can offer much more than just a screen that you can tap when you want to select a playlist or skip a song. There are rumors suggesting that putting a screen on the HomePod could completely transform it into a new device.