Apple Develops Four-Speaker Surround Sound and Party Mode for HomePod

Code in the latest system test firmware indicates that Apple is developing home theater audio upgrades for its HomePod smart speaker, including a surround sound system that supports four speakers working together and a new Party Mode. The code was discovered in the audioOS 27 beta 8 test version. Underlying software code for the second-generation HomePod shows Apple is fine-tuning a surround sound layout comprising four speakers: front left, front right, rear left, and rear right. This four-channel configuration includes automatic room calibration, speaker spatial position mapping, acoustic delay adjustment, bass management, equalizer settings, dialogue clarity enhancement, and different audio processing modes for movie and music content.

The code also reveals a new tuning system named Forklift, which combines two second-generation HomePods with two unknown audio devices carrying the hardware identifier AID12007. This hardware identifier has never appeared in Apple's product lineup before, corresponding neither to any existing HomePod model nor to any other released audio hardware product.

Apple also plans to introduce a Party Mode feature for HomePods set up in a stereo pair. Unlike traditional tuning that focuses on a specific listening position, Party Mode generates a more diffuse and uniform sound field, allowing sound to spread more evenly across the room and creating an immersive atmosphere for multiple listeners. Currently, Apple's Home app and Apple TV system only support up to two HomePods in a stereo pair or home theater playback, with no interface for a four-speaker surround configuration. The presence of the code indicates Apple is internally testing these features, but whether they will eventually be released to the public remains to be seen.