New leak adds weight to the rumored touchscreen HomePod

tvOS 18 beta 3's code packs what could be the UI of a future Apple smart home device.

New leak adds weight to the rumored touchscreen HomePod
The top of the HomePod 2nd gen
Credit: Roger Fingas / Android Authority
  • A lock screen’s user interface has been discovered in the tvOS 18 beta 3 code, corroborating rumors of an upcoming touchscreen HomePod.
  • The smart home device is expected to run a tweaked variant of tvOS and offer an iPad-like display.
  • Previous reports indicate Apple has been internally testing tvOS on an iPad, which further confirms these rumors.

We’ve been reading rumors about an upcoming touchscreen HomePod for years now. Apple is reportedly working on a smart speaker with an iPad-like display that could potentially compete with Google’s Nest Hub and similar products. The latest tvOS 18 beta build further confirms the existence of such a device, as the code packs UI elements dedicated to it.

tvOS 18 beta 3 lock screen interface for touchscreen HomePod