Apple is developing a quad-speaker surround sound system and a room-filling “Party Mode” for HomePod, revealed through code references discovered in audioOS 27 beta 8 this week.
AudioOS 27 Code Reveals Quad Surround Sound and Ambient Party Mode
Apple has been part of the smart speaker market since it shipped the original HomePod in 2018. Smart speaker owners have long relied on stereo pairs or default Apple TV outputs, but true multi-speaker surround sound (where audio is divided up between four different speakers across a room) has never been on the table as an option. That restriction appears set to lift. 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.
Under the discovered quad placement architecture, each speaker is assigned a specific acoustic role. Front units apply left- and right-specific processing while managing potential placement near walls and corners. Meanwhile, the rear HomePods use a distinct approach.
“designed to fill the space behind and around the listener.”
pdxfu, MacRumors forum user
The new tuning has a processing pipeline to manage each HomePod’s woofer and tweeters, and control bass, EQ, synchronization, and calibration data. The system also supports dynamic surround sound audio tuning. This would enable the quad HomePod system to change its processing to match what’s playing, such as movies or music.
Unreleased Hardware References Point to Future HomePod Models
Beyond software configurations, the discovered code points toward new physical audio hardware currently in development at Apple. 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. A new “Forklift” system is also referenced in this code. Forklift appears to combine two full-sized second-generation HomePod speakers with two other speakers with an identifier that does not match any of Apple’s existing HomePod products.
Pdfu says it’s impossible to say if this is a reference to a 3rd-gen HomePod or a HomePod mini sequel. Apple released its current full-sized HomePod in February 2023. Meanwhile, 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. Apple is also testing a new full-sized HomePod,
but that product is not imminent.
Diffuse Audio Rendering Changes How Music Fills a Room
For casual listening and social gatherings, the code introduces an alternative rendering method termed Party Mode. A new Party Mode could also be on the table. When enabled, Party Mode will use an audio-rendering mode called diffuse. According to the code, enabling Party Mode will spread the HomePod’s sound into a wider, more ambient mix.
“fill a room more evenly instead of creating a perfect listening spot in front of the speakers.”
pdxfu, MacRumors forum user
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. Whether Apple actually ships these features remains to be seen. Still, it’s encouraging to see evidence that Apple is continuing to upgrade the home theater features of its HomePod product family.
