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Apple may be preparing a major change in how HomePods are used as TV speakers. In the code of a test version of audioOS 27, references were found to a configuration using as many as four HomePods. The set would deliver true surround sound with separate front and rear channels. At present Apple allows pairing up to two HomePods wirelessly with the Apple TV 4K. The new feature is still being tested, and it is not known whether or when it will reach users.
Four HomePods will form a surround system
Information about the planned feature was found in the code of the eighth beta of audioOS 27. One reference points to a mode intended for multichannel film sound and surround configurations. According to the discovered information, the system would support four speakers simultaneously. Individual units could serve as the left and right front speakers and the left and right rear speakers. That would be a significantly more elaborate system than the current two-HomePod configuration. Today, the Apple TV 4K can wirelessly pair with up to two HomePods when playing films and music. Even if the source contains a 5.1 track or Dolby Atmos, the sound is virtualised and played through two physical speakers. Four devices, however, would allow for a much more conventional surround layout. The software is expected to provide automatic room calibration and to determine the positions of the individual speakers. The code also contains references to time synchronization, bass management and sound correction. The system would additionally offer different processing modes intended for films and for music. The new feature would not be available for every Apple speaker. According to the findings, the four-speaker setup would be reserved exclusively for second-generation HomePods. The first-generation HomePod and the smaller HomePod mini are not expected to be supported.
Apple has been working on such a solution for years
The idea of using multiple HomePods to create a surround system is not new. As early as 2019, reports emerged about an Apple patent concerning spatial audio technology for those speakers. The patent itself was filed back in 2017. That means the company may have been developing a similar solution for at least nine years. At the same time, the HomePod has not gained the same popularity as some of Apple's other products. Constraints related, among other things, to supported music services, Siri and the way devices are paired may have hindered its popularisation. Apple, however, apparently does not intend to give up on developing the smart speaker and home device category. The audioOS 27 code is also said to contain references to a new HomePod model. According to earlier reports, the company is working on a third-generation HomePod equipped with Siri-related artificial intelligence features. The new generation is not, however, expected in the near future. Apple is also reportedly preparing a new version of the Apple TV 4K. Even more interesting information appeared in the macOS 26.7 code, where references were found to two game controllers designed by Apple. The devices are expected to include haptic feedback, a D-pad, analog sticks and shoulder buttons. They are also said to use an accelerometer and gyroscope. Rumours about an Apple game controller have circulated for several years, but the company has never officially confirmed such a product.
Apple is testing a configuration of four HomePods that could in future provide significantly more advanced spatial audio when using Apple TV 4K. The feature is expected to include automatic room calibration, mapping of speaker positions and separate audio processing for films and music. For now, however, everything points to the testing stage, and support is expected to be limited to the second-generation HomePod. Apple may simultaneously be preparing a new HomePod, an Apple TV 4K and its own game controllers.
source: flatpanelshd
