Apple isn’t expected to announce a new HomePod this fall (although a HomePod mini 2 could be on the cards).
However, as spotted by beta testers of iOS 26, when Apple rolls out its next-generation operating systems, it will introduce a new feature to the HomePod and HomePod mini that you already own.
A HomePod upgrade
Seamless song transitions
As reported by MacRumors, when Apple rolls out iOS 26, it will bring a feature called Crossfade to the HomePod and HomePod mini. It’s a simple feature that’s designed to make music transitions, when going from song to song in a playlist or album, more seamless.
In a nutshell, Crossfade overlaps the current song with the following. When a song is ending, its volume will gradually fade. At the same time, the next song’s volume will gradually increase.
