It’s been five years since Apple debuted the HomePod, a smart home speaker with impressive specs that didn’t sell very well. The company discontinued the original HomePod in 2021 in favor of the HomePod Mini and a second generation in 2023. But now it seems the device may get something new.

Renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo posted on Medium that he expects Chinese manufacturer Tianma to enter Apple’s supply chain this year to begin manufacturing 7-inch panels for a new HomePod. Kuo speculates that if the new HomePod goes well for Apple, Tiama could get orders for more Apple products, including the iPad.

天馬首度打入Apple供應鏈，為Apple再造智能家庭策略的新受益者 / Tianma is set to debut in Apple’s supply chain, becoming a new beneficiary of Apple’s revamped smart home strategyhttps://t.co/WA2qAnt95o

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 10, 2023

Kuo has been covering Apple since 2010 and has been a reliable source of the company’s plans and intentions. He obtains his information by doing on-the-ground research and interviews with Apple’s suppliers in China. His recent, accurate predictions include that the iPhone 14 Pro would have a 48MP camera, the AirPods Pro 2 would be released in late 2022, and that Apple would release three Apple Watch models in 2022. However, his record isn’t perfect. Kuo has also predicted that Apple would ditch the lightning cable on iPhone two years running—but that will likely come true this year.

A new HomePod with a smart display would help Apple compete with devices like Amazon’s Echo Show, Google’s Nest Hub, and Meta’s Portal in the ever-evolving smart home market.

Source: Ming-Chi Kuo