Is Apple Building the Quad-HomePod Home Theater We’ve Been Waiting For?
Technointerest / Reddit
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Apple’s full-sized HomePod has walked a strange path over the past eight years, but it looks like the company may finally be preparing to give it some more love — although it remains to be seen whether this will come in the form of new hardware or simply a software update.
New code found in the latest beta of “audioOS” 27 — more formally known as “HomePod Software” — reveals that Apple is working on some new home theater features for its smart speakers, including the ability to group four of them to provide a full immersive surround sound environment.
The details were shared on the MacRumors forums but “pdfu,” the same poster who shared details on the iPhone Handoff feature earlier this week. The references are what you’d expect: a four-speaker surround setup with front-left, front-right, rear-left, and rear-right positions. There are also mentions of automatic room calibration, position mapping, timing adjustments, bass management, EQ, dialogue enhancements, and different modes for movies and music.
The code also points to a new tuning system called “Forklift” that would combine two second-generation HomePods with two as-yet unidentified speakers — presumably a product that Apple is working on but has yet to release. However, it’s unclear whether this refers to a third-generation HomePod, a second-generation HomePod mini, or some other device.
The HomePod’s Odd History
This would address one of the most common requests from hardcore fans of the Apple TV (the set-top box, not the streaming service). It was nearly six years ago that Apple added Home Theater Audio to its full-sized HomePod, allowing users to use a pair of the smart speakers to create a Dolby Atmos surround system.
Prior to that update, which came in HomePod Software 14 (released alongside iOS 14), users could pair two HomePods to use as a stereo system, but audio playback was limited to AirPlay — even from the Apple TV. The tvOS 14 and HomePod Software updates added the ability to use a pair of HomePods as default speakers for the set-top box.
It was a great feature — and it’s one I’ve been using in my living room since it debuted. It got even better when Apple added eARC support to the 2021 Apple TV 4K, allowing the Apple TV-connected HomePods to be used with nearly any other audio source, from the native TV output to game consoles.
In a sadly ironic twist, the Apple TV 4K with eARC arrived on the scene less than two months after Apple discontinued the original HomePod, claiming it intended to focus solely on the HomePod mini. In what seemed like a clear example of the left hand the right hand not talking to each other inside Apple Park, the new Apple TV 4K even shipped with a picture of the full-sized HomePod on the box accompanied by a note that users could “Pair for wireless surround sound.”
A few months later, Apple added support for pairing two HomePod mini speakers for Apple TV output, but those were simply a stereo pair; the HomePod mini didn’t have the necessary chops to provide a full surround soundstage. Demand for the original smart speaker continued to skyrocket, and nearly two years after it was discontinued, Apple released a second-generation sequel to the original HomePod in January 2023.
That was the last new home product we saw. It’s hard to imagine, but Apple hasn’t updated its Apple TV 4K, HomePod, or HomePod mini in nearly four years — unless you count a subtle midnight black refresh for the HomePod mini. We certainly don’t, but Apple clearly thought it was significant enough to issue a press release in 2024.
By all accounts, Apple is expected to unveil a new Apple TV 4K, HomePod mini, and the much-rumored “HomePad” smart display hub very soon — quite possibly during next week’s “Surprise and Shine” iPhone event. We haven’t heard much about a full-sized HomePod in that mix, but Apple could surprise us, as mixed rumors over the past two years have hinted at both a “home hub” style device that focuses on a smart display with a built-in HomePod-style speaker, and a display-equipped HomePod that could look similar to the current cylindrical speaker but merely replace the glowing LED on top with a full display.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
