A reference to an unreleased HomePod is included in the first iOS 16 beta, though the references do not mention a specific model name.
Apple released the first beta of iOS 16 to developers on Monday, following its debut at the WWDC 2022 keynote address. As you might imagine, numerous folks have begun pouring over the new upcoming iPhone operating system to see what delicious secrets can be found.
So far, at least one secret has been exposed — a reference to an unreleased Apple HomePod. First spotted by 9to5Mac, the unknown HomePod is labeled internally as “AudioAccessory6.” (The HomePod mini is “AudioAccessory5,” and the original HomePod is “AudioAccessory1.”)
A new HomePod has been rumored for a while now, as Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kup has predicted that we may see a new HomePod hit shelves in late 2022 or in 2023. Kuo did not specify whether the new HomePod would be a large model like the original HomePod, or a smaller HomePod mini-like speaker.
A date is a bit hard to pin down, as the HomePod lineup doesn’t receive annual updates. The timeframe between the original HomePod’s release and the release of the HomePod mini was 2 years and 9 months.
