Apple Is Testing a Four-HomePod Surround System, Code Suggests

Apple appears to be working on some major new HomePod home theater features, including a four-speaker surround sound system and a new "Party Mode," according to code found in audioOS 27 beta 8, and shared on the MacRumors forums by member pdfu.

References in the software for the second-generation HomePod suggest the ability to tune for a setup with front-left, front-right, rear-left, and rear-right HomePods. The four-speaker surround configuration references automatic room calibration, speaker-position mapping, timing adjustments, bass management, EQ, dialogue enhancement, and different processing modes for movies and music.

For stereo content, the code suggests the ability to either spatialize sound across all four speakers or limit traditional stereo playback to the two front speakers.

The files also reference a new tuning system called "Forklift" that combines two second-generation HomePods with two speakers that use an unidentified AID12007 hardware family. We haven't seen this identifier before – it doesn't correspond to any existing HomePod models – suggesting it refers to a future HomePod mini, third-generation HomePod, or some other unreleased audio device.

In addition, Apple appears to be working on a new "Party Mode" feature for stereo-paired HomePods. The feature applies a more diffuse sound field that's designed to spread sound more evenly across the room for a more immersive listening experience, rather than optimizing playback for a single listening position.

The Home app and Apple TV do not currently provide a way to configure four HomePods as a surround system. Indeed, none of these features have been referenced before. All we can say at this point is that they indicate that Apple is testing them, but whether Apple ultimately releases them remains to be seen.

A new HomePod mini, a new Apple TV, and an all-new Apple smart home hub are all coming soon, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, so it's possible that these features could be part of Apple's broader Home refresh. Watch this space.