Apple has been part of the smart speaker market since it shipped the original HomePod in 2018. But though users did have the option to hook up two HomePods to play their music in stereo, surround sound (where audio is divided up between four different speakers across a room) has never been on the table as an option. Even if users did happen to own four HomePods and were willing to set it up manually.
Now, things could be set to change. According to a trusted Apple leaker, posting on the MacRumors forum, lines of code in the latest audioOS 27 beta reference “tuning files” that interact with speakers in front-left, front-right, rear-left, and rear-right positions.
According to pdxfu, in the four-speaker placement, the front speakers will use left- and right-specific audio processing, while the rear HomePods will utilize omnidirectional processing “designed to fill the space behind and around the listener.”
The code also hinted at a new device on the way. According to the leaker, some of the code references a device that doesn’t appear to match any of the currently available HomePods, including the original, 2nd-gen, or HomePod mini. Pdfu says it’s impossible to say if this is a reference to a 3rd-gen HomePod or a HomePod mini sequel.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reported that a HomePod mini successor with new Siri Ai support is expected soon, adding that the hardware has reportedly been ready for months and is expected to launch this fall alongside iOS 27.
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A new Party Mode could also be on the table. Party Mode, when enabled, will use an audio-rendering mode called diffuse. This means the sound will be spread into “a wider, more ambient mix,” which will “fill a room more evenly instead of creating a perfect listening spot in front of the speakers.”
Apple Insider notes that as the code references new hardware, it’s likely we’ll have to wait for Apple to release new devices to see these features in action, and Apple still doesn’t have anything officially announced yet.
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