some people get hyped up for new iPhones, but I'm a weird Apple reporter. I'm hyped for a new HomePod. Now you have to understand how hooked I am into the HomePod. The Mini is just this perfect little colorful ball that brings everything in my life together. I yell at it to control my music and my lights and to help me find my iPhone. And half the time, it doesn't even know what I'm trying to say. It is a complicated relationship because I know it has potential to be better. So when Apple talks about how Apple intelligence, its generative AI software, is going to give us a smarter Siri in the coming months, well, frankly, it's heartbreaking to know the Siri in the HomePod is not getting that upgrade because it's the Siri I use the most. Why is a dumb Siri stuck inside Apple's smart home hub? This week, let's take a quick look at the rumors surrounding the next HomePod and how this speaker can evolve. I'm Bridget Cary, and this is One More Thing. Don't count

on Apple Intelligence being used in the current HomePod or HomePod mini. Apple's new AI features require an A17 Pro chip, which for now is just in the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. And as for the Macs and iPads, well, it needs at least an M1 chip to run the AI software. The HomePod has neither. It has Apple Watch chips. The main speaker has an S7 chip, and the mini has an S5. Now, Apple eventually needs AI to work the same across all of its devices, especially in a speaker that is so heavily reliant on Siri voice commands. So you can bet that Apple is making a more powerful HomePod. But what would it look like? Rumors say we could be getting a screen. For a long while, there's been buzz about some sort of screen being added. One analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, predicted that a 7-inch screen version would be here this year. So it would be like the Amazon Echo Show, or maybe like the Google Nest Hub, maybe even just be a miniature Apple TV. 9to5Mac reported that

in the developer beta of TV 8, there are clues to what might be a new Apple home accessory. Some sort of TV OS interface for a touchscreen. The outlet also says it learned Apple employees have been running tvOS on the iPad Mini to explore how it all runs on an 8-inch screen. Bloomberg also has been reporting on Apple working on some sort of device that combines Apple TV with a home pod. But it is possible Apple might go in a different direction. Apple Insider reported on this patent. It shows off a bar design for an audio speaker system. And maybe all the rumors are true. Could Apple be making multiple versions of HomePods for different needs? Maybe this fall when tvOS 18 launches, that's when Apple could reveal these new devices. Something to complement the new iPhone. And I really hope they get on it fast because when Apple intelligent launches, it's going to be real awkward to have to deal with two different kinds of Siri in the home. Leave a comment with your dream HomePod design. How would you want to see

it upgraded personally. I hope there's still something small without a screen. Or maybe the HomePod mini could become this MagSafe charging stand combo for my iPhone. Yeah, that's the dream. I'll catch you next Friday for one more thing in the world of Apple.

Apple, Please Help the HomePod!

CNET is the premier destination for explaining and navigating the changing world around us. Through news, product reviews, price comparisons, and more, we’ll tell you what’s new in the parts of modern life that increasingly matter more — from health, home, and money to tech, culture, and climate — and how to get the most out of them.

Apple, Please Help the HomePod!

Scripts