Though Apple's HomePod speaker won't launch until December, Apple on Friday released firmware for the device, allowing developers to glean information both about the speaker itself and the upcoming iPhone 8 by digging into the code.
According to the latest revelation, shared on Twitter by Avery Magnotti, the screen of the HomePod that's used to display a visible multicolor LED waveform when interacting with Siri measures in at 272 x 340.
The display blends in seamlessly with the top of the device and is primarily dedicated to making it clear when Siri is listening to a command, but it also includes virtual buttons for activating Siri and controlling speaker volume. Based on previous leaks, the screen could also display other shapes or symbols, but its full functionality isn't yet known.
Along with the dimensions of the display, the information leaked today suggests the HomePod is equipped with 1GB RAM, equivalent to the amount of RAM in older iOS devices. HomePod also includes an A8 chip, and combined with the RAM, it's more powerful than competing smart speakers, enabling features like spatial awareness, Siri interactivity, and impressive sound.
As we learned over the weekend, HomePod will run a full version of iOS and can be equated to an iPhone without a screen. It will use a shell app called "SoundBoard" to integrate with the hardware built into the device, and it will include Accessibility features like VoiceOver.
HomePod is priced at $349 and will be available for purchase in December.
I honestly can't wait to purchase the HomePod and I think it's going to set the bar. I think this is going to be one the biggest releases for 2017 next to the iPhone.
Saturday August 14, 2021 6:15 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
In a newly published support document on its website, Apple has acknowledged an error that some users may receive when they try to use a scanner with a Mac in the Image Capture app, Preview app, or the Printers & Scanners section of System Preferences.
A screenshot of the error message from the HP Support Community When attempting to use a scanner with a Mac, Apple said users might get an...
To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the iPhone, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller sat down with tech journalist Steven Levy for a wide-ranging interview about the smartphone's past, present, and future.
The report first reflects upon the iPhone's lack of support for third-party apps in its first year. The argument inside Apple was split between whether the iPhone should be a closed...
Apple will retain the Lightning connector on the iPhone for the "foreseeable future," with no intention of switching to USB-C, according to reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In spite of much of the industry moving toward USB-C, Apple will not be using it to replace the Lightning connector on the iPhone 13, or indeed on any iPhone model for the time being. In a note seen by MacRumors yesterday,...
Tuesday September 7, 2021 9:03 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today announced that it will be holding a special event on Tuesday, September 14 at 10:00 a.m. The event will take place at the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California.
As with WWDC and last year's fall events, this new event will be held digitally with no members of the media invited to attend in person. Apple will likely provide pre-taped segments for...
Tuesday August 17, 2021 10:05 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the sixth betas of iOS and iPadOS 15 to developers for testing purposes, with the updates coming one week after Apple released the fifth betas.
Registered developers can download the profile for the iOS and iPadOS betas from the Apple Developer Center, and once the profile is installed, beta updates will be available over the air.
iOS 15 is a major update that...
Wednesday February 3, 2021 3:09 pm PST by Juli Clover
YouTube is planning to stop supporting its YouTube app on the third-generation Apple TV models, where YouTube has long been available as a channel option.
A 9to5Mac reader received a message about the upcoming app discontinuation, which is set to take place in March.Starting early March, the YouTube app will no longer be available on Apple TV (3rd generation). You can still watch YouTube on...
A normal-looking Lightning cable that can used to steal data like passwords and send it to a hacker has been developed, Vice reports.
The "OMG Cable" compared to Apple's Lightning to USB cable. The "OMG Cable" works exactly like a normal Lightning to USB cable and can log keystrokes from connected Mac keyboards, iPads, and iPhones, and then send this data to a bad actor who could be over a...
Wednesday September 25, 2019 12:02 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple has teamed up with Maroon 5 to add the group's new song "Memories" to the Memories feature in the Photos app, allowing it to be used for photo slide show creations, reports Billboard.
"Memories" will be available as a soundtrack option for a limited time and it is available to iPhone and iPad users running the latest iOS 13 and iPadOS software.
Memories in the Photos app are created ...
Wednesday August 25, 2021 2:42 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple may be planning to launch the iPhone 13 on Friday, September 17 and third-generation AirPods on Thursday, September 30, according to an image of an e-commerce app discovered by Chinese language site IT Home.
The screenshot, originally posted by Weibo account @PandaIsBald, suggests all four iPhone 13 models will go on sale on September 17, followed by the AirPods 3 on September 30....
The finish line is in sight! Apple's annual iPhone event is likely just a week or so away and all eyes will be on the company as it unveils the next version of its most popular product line. With any luck, we'll also see the next-generation Apple Watch and perhaps even some new AirPods.
Other news this week saw Apple making some more changes to its App Store policies in response to a...
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