Code Suggests Apple is Testing a 4-HomePod Surround System

New references found deep inside the code for audioOS 27 beta 8 show that Apple is actively testing a four-speaker surround sound setup using its second-generation HomePods, according to MacRumors.

Right now, Apple limits users to pairing just two HomePods together for stereo sound. If you want a full surround system, you have to buy a dedicated soundbar, a traditional AV receiver, or look elsewhere. But this new code points to a major shift in how Apple wants us to hear movies and music at home.

The discovered software files lay out a clear 4.0 quadraphonic arrangement. This setup links a front-left, front-right, rear-left, and rear-right HomePod together. Rather than just blasting sound from all four corners, the code details a suite of deep audio tuning features.

Apple is testing automatic room calibration, speaker-position mapping, timing adjustments, bass management, custom equalizer settings, and dedicated dialogue enhancement. It even includes distinct processing profiles that flip settings depending on whether you are watching a movie or listening to music.

For standard stereo music, you could choose to spatialise two-channel audio across all four speakers to fill the whole room, or restrict standard stereo tracks to just the front two units while keeping the rear speakers quiet. What’s even more intriguing is a reference to an unreleased hardware family. The code mentions a tuning system codenamed “Forklift” that pairs two second-generation HomePods with two speakers tied to an unknown hardware identifier labelled “AID12007.”

Apple has never used this hardware code for any past or present HomePod model. That strongly implies the company is testing this surround system alongside unreleased hardware, which could be a third-generation full-sized HomePod, a updated HomePod mini, or a totally new smart home device altogether.

On top of the four-speaker surround sound config, the software includes references to a new feature called “Party Mode.” Unlike traditional stereo pairing, which tunes the audio to project toward a single sweet spot on your couch, Party Mode creates a much more diffuse sound field. It spreads audio evenly across the entire room, making background music sound balanced no matter where your guests are standing.

None of these new features are live yet. You cannot open the Home app or turn on your Apple TV today and group four HomePods together into a single theater cluster. Code findings only prove that Apple engineers are playing with the capability behind closed doors.