Oliver Haslam·

Apple Has Hired A New HomePod Software Lead

Apple has reportedly hired a new software lead for its HomePod smart speakers, although there’s only one of them currently on sale. HomePod mini is the only smart speaker Apple currently sells with HomePod having already been discontinued.

According to a new report by Bloomberg, Afrooz Family has now been hired to run the HomePod Software team.

Family worked for Apple between 2012 and 2016 but left the company to found a company of their own — audio startup Syng.

The iPhone maker is enlisting Afrooz Family to lead the work, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Family worked at Apple from 2012 to 2016 before leaving to co-found audio startup Syng with former Apple industrial designer Christopher Stringer. Family left the startup earlier this year after helping develop the company’s product, the Cell Alpha.

While it isn’t immediately obvious where Apple intends to go next with HomePod, rumors of a speaker with a display continue to swirl. The likes of Google and Amazon already sell multiple devices that offer something Apple doesn’t — an iPad-like device that’s static in the home rather than portable.

It’s clear that Apple isn’t happy with the way HomePod Software has been run to date, suggesting we could see changes in the way HomePods function in the future. We’re still hopeful that we’ll see new hardware to join that HomePod mini, too.

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