“A new rumor out of Apple’s supply chain over the weekend suggests future iterations of the HomePod could come with 3D-sensing cameras supporting Face ID, similar to the front-facing technology on the iPhone X,” Mitchel Broussard reports for MacRumors.
“Specifically, Inventec Appliances president David Ho mentioned recently that the company sees a trend towards both facial and image recognition technology being incorporated into smart speakers, without specifying which speakers in particular,” Broussard reports. “Ho made the comment following Inventec’s latest earnings conference, and analysts listening predict that he was likely referring to ‘the next generation of Apple’s HomePod.'”
Broussard reports, “Given the company’s ties to Apple, analyst Jeff Pu predicts Ho’s comments could suggest a Face ID-enabled HomePod in 2019.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: TrueDepth camera systems everywhere (hold the notch, put ’em in the bezels and frames, please)!
There are obviously significant benefits to having the HomePod (and other Apple products) be able to identify who’s in the room for such things as Apple Music, music listening preferences, home automation (lighting, locks, thermostat, etc.), shopping (Apple Pay), security, etc.)
Hey MDN. Hold off on the notch comments – getting very tiresome and unnecessary. Most reports I’ve read just don’t have a problem with it. By the way, how do you put a sensor in a non existent bezel?
I used to think of the notches as a necessary evil for that very reason, but now that many of my apps have been optimized (and more coming), I’m starting to like the notch.
“AAPLfanboy” is indeed accurate pushing back against MDN. But me thinks you could not have picked a worst target over one design mistake.
Unfortunately, the “notch” is hideous and the worst design mistake from Jony since flat iOS7.
Now, either you like it — that would be you.
Or you settle for it (tolerance) — that would be MDN.
Or you openly despise its obtrusive ugliness especially in landscape mode and will never buy it — that would be me.
You have a problem with any of that? … 🤔
Sounds like a case of Cutting your nose to spite your face.
You will cave sooner than you think.
Step away from the knife……
Cave? I’m not a snowflake …
Homepod? Where is the old Homepod anyway? Apple better seriously hustle up if they want little Johnny and Suzie to open the Homepod under the Christmas tree.
Not sure how useful FaceID for a non-proximity device like the HomePod would be unless it is able to recognize a speaker accurately by face over a distance further than arm’s length.
Why not VoiceID?
If Apple’s almost non-existant policy for allowing multiple users registered on a single iOS device is any indication, it may be a long time coming. Google already took a step in that direction allowing 2 users’ voice differentiation on their Google Home line.
A HomePod which only recognises one user in the same way that iPhone X does would be useless in my house. It would be essential for it to recognise multiple members of the family.
If it’s being used as part of a home automation, it would also have to respond to absolutely anybody when it comes to fundamental things like switching lights on. It would be ridiculous to be in a situation where visitors could be barred from turning on lights.
there is nothing more annoying than visitors turning on and off the lights. finally, a solution to prevent that. yay apple.
Have yet to hear a peep from Apple about when the HomePod will ship and if there will be advance orders taken.
Got tired of waiting and put in a set of Focals with an AudioEngine Bluetooth module.
No Apple spy camera on the HonePod please.