With the discontinuation of the original HomePod on Friday, everyone is wondering what's next for the HomePod family? Apple now plans to focus on the $ 99 HomePod mini single. It has a sweet place, being accessible and with reasonable dimensions for any space. Apple may still have a larger or average HomePod at work, but I think the answer lies in portability and displays.

The next obvious step for the HomePod is listening on the go. Apple is currently offering Beats Pill + as a solution for bluetooth speakers. I think it might be time to cannibalize that product with a portable HomePod that can compete with the latest Sonos products.

I brainstormed looking for the right name for a portable HomePod. In fact, the HomePod itself is an oxymoron for a portable product. But if Apple created a HomePod that you can take with you, it should work at home connected via lightning or USB-C.

A portable HomePod is a perfect fitness tool. So I came up with the name "HomePod Sport". It could come in a variety of colors, even those that align with AirPods Max. It could be made of the same soft mesh that makes up the current HomePod mini and HomePod.

There may be capacitive controls on both sides of the speaker. One part could be for volume control and the other for talking to Siri and controlling playback.

A portable HomePod would be a great addition to Fitness + and the Apple Watch. Take him to the park to do yoga. Bring him on vacation. Move it around the house. You could take a Fitness + class with a powerful and vibrant speaker wherever you want.

HomePod Sport could also be the perfect tool for parties. Like AirPods, Apple could introduce the ability to listen with friends. Everyone can bring their HomePod Sports to a party and connect them all to play the same synchronized music. It could create a stereo surround sound experience wherever you want.

At the other end of the spectrum, it could be a display-based HomePod that competes with the smart displays of Amazon and Google. I imagine an iPad actually mounted on a larger HomePod. Because HomePod is already running tvOS, they could use the same interface as Apple TV optimized for a smaller display.

It would be a great product for kitchens with recipe applications, photos, HomeKit controls, Find my help and much more. I would also like to have an adjustable angle screen, similar to the newest Amazon Echo.

The HomePod family really needs to materialize, just like the current AirPods family. I imagine two models at reasonable prices. In this case, a HomePod Sport and HomePod mini. Both small, easy to pair and affordable. Finally, a nice Retina display that helps justify a premium price with better sound.

Nowadays it is harder for customers to understand why they should buy an expensive smart speaker when they can buy a bunch of other cheap ones that sound just as well paired together. Adding a display helps customers understand why they pay a premium price. And with a product like this running tvOS, it also becomes a new outlet for Apple TV and Apple TV +.

What do you think about the future of HomePod? Do you have any other ideas that you would like to share with the community? Tell us in the comments below!

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