iOS 26 Code Hints a Screened HomePod May Be Coming Soon
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Beta releases for Apple’s major iOS updates offer all sorts of opportunities for code sleuths to uncover hints about what Apple may be working on. Earlier today, we shared a report about a “Sleep Score” for the Apple Watch, and now it appears that Apple may have just tipped its hand on a screen-equipped HomePod.
According to MacRumors, a new location-related setting in the fourth beta of iOS 26 has a subtle hint of a future HomePod that will be able to play both show and tell:
“Your HomePod won’t be able to show you the local weather, time, or respond to Siri requests about your area,” the string reportedly reads, presumably referring to what happens if the owner hasn’t granted permission for the smart speaker to access its location.
The critical word here is “show.” That’s not something that HomePods are currently capable of doing, so unless this string is a gaffe on the part of some Apple engineer (which is highly unlikely), the more obvious conclusion is that it’s intended for a HomePod with a screen.
The use of the word “HomePod” is also significant here, as it suggests that Apple indeed has a screen-equipped HomePod in the works as a distinct product from the “home hub” that has been reported over the past few months.
The wall- and table-mounted home hub, which was first reported in solid terms by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in November, has been getting much more attention from the rumor mill as it’s significantly more interesting than a HomePod with a screen. However, other sources, including analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, predicted in December that a display-equipped HomePod was slated for late 2025.
Some believed Kuo’s information contradicted Gurman’s report of a March release for the home hub, but it has always seemed clear to me that they’re talking about two different products.
From an Apple TV with a FaceTime camera to a giant iPad for the home, we’ve seen so many mockups and theories over the years as to what Apple could be working on that it’s no wonder there’s so much confusion. However, Gurman’s information about a home hub conspicuously excluded any mention of an attached HomePod. Some pundits cleverly dubbed this the “HomePad,” for lack of anything better to call it, but at most, it was expected to include a speaker base, likely similar to what Google did with its Pixel Tablet in 2023.
The purported codename for Gurman’s product, J490, also differed from code found in tvOS 17.4 that pointed to a “Z314” device in testing, as well as another home device, B720, which was believed to be a standard HomePod with a display on top.
While there’s no way of knowing with any certainty which device this new “show” reference in iOS 26 refers to, the use of the word “HomePod” strongly suggests it’s something similar to the Z314 or B720 reports rather than the standalone home hub, which Gurman now says has been delayed into early 2026 due to Apple’s struggled with Siri.
A display that merely shows local weather and time wouldn’t be a stretch for a standard HomePod that offers a display on top. However, this could also be the HomePod with a larger, iPad-like display, which has also surfaced in various reports over the past two years. A simple, display-equipped HomePod could easily be ready for launch later this year, as such a device wouldn’t lean nearly as heavily on Siri as a centralized home hub.
[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.]
