When Apple's HomePod launches later this year, users will be able to take advantage of an automated pairing and setup process triggered by a special tone generated by the speaker and subsequently detected by a host iPhone.
Even if it supports other Apple devices, people buying a HomePod will allegedly need an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to complete initial setup.
During an earnings conference call, Inventec's CEO said that Apple's HomePod would have little material impact on the company's future results as quantities of the device will probably be constrained at launch — with other reports claiming that Foxconn will handle half of the manufacturing duties in 2018.
In a potential shot at Apple's AirPlay 2 as well as speaker maker Sonos, Amazon is rumored to be preparing its own multi-speaker, multi-room music technology, which could come to existing Echo devices via a software update.
Code found in Apple's HomePod firmware may suggest that the "iPhone 8's" facial recognition system — internally dubbed "Pearl" — will be able to scan someone and unlock a device while it's resting on a flat surface, instead of forcing users to pick it up and aim the camera.
Apple's own firmware for the upcoming HomePod speaker has proven to be the gift that keeps on giving for enthusiasts, this time revealing that a next-generation Apple TV will boast support for 4K video, as well as high dynamic range in both 10-bit and Dolby Vision formats.
The built-in Workout app on the Apple Watch may soon gain many more activity types, such as yoga, wrestling, and water polo, according to the latest discovery in Apple's HomePod firmware. [Updated with corrected info]
Code strings unearthed from early HomePod firmware suggest that Apple is planning to add skiing to the Apple Watch's Workout app, presumably alongside this fall's watchOS 4.
The delve into the HomePod firmware continues, with enterprising coders extracting resources including user interface sounds from the device.
Apple inadvertently released firmware for its forthcoming HomePod speaker over the weekend, and in doing so leaked loads of information related to a next-generation iPhone.
Digging deeper into HomePod firmware that was released over the weekend, developer Steven Troughton-Smith is coming up with additional details surrounding Apple's next-generation iPhone, including what could be confirmation of a split status bar user interface and a new "tap to wake" feature.
A deeper dive into the HomePod firmware that was briefly available over the weekend shows the A8-powered device will boast 1GB of RAM available and a 272-by-340 pixel screen, suggesting that rudimentary app support will be possible for the hardware in the future.
While Apple is finding it increasingly hard to stop feature leaks, this year, the company has had some success preventing people from learning exact product names — owing to the countries it's now choosing for trademarks.
Sometimes the best source of Apple leaks is Apple itself, as revealed by the company's HomePod firmware, which apparently includes a rough sketch of the front face of the "iPhone 8," as well as references to its anticipated facial recognition unlock feature.
With vacuum maker iRobot looking to sell user's house maps to smart home vendors, an AppleInsider reader asked Apple what it planned to do with data collected by the HomePod's room mapping technology. Unsurprisingly, Apple confirmed it has no intention of saving or sharing information about a user's home layout.
Reports suggest Facebook is working on its own smart speaker to battle the HomePod and similar products, with features similar to that of the Amazon Show — but packing a 15-inch screen.
Apparently in response to Apple's HomePod announcement, Amazon is reportedly working on a new flagship Echo speaker that will improve on the original in virtually every respect.
Interest among iPhone users in the upcoming HomePod speaker is greater than that of the Apple Watch prior to its launch, and more users are planning on buying Apple-produced speakers than Amazon Echo devices.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday published an Apple patent application seemingly related to the company's upcoming HomePod speaker. In particular, the invention covers a method of equalizing and optimizing loudspeaker output through the use of microphones, digital signal processing and advanced computational algorithms.
On the heels of Apple's HomePod announcement, Samsung is said to be working on its own foray into the smart speaker space, although the South Korean company's voice-driven personal assistant, Bixby, hasn't even launched in the U.S.
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AppleInsider Staff
Roger Fingas
Mike Wuerthele
Neil Hughes
Mikey Campbell
