Skip to main content

The next generation of HomePods could have Face ID

The next generation of HomePods could have Face ID

/

It’s not so far-fetched

Share this story

Apple HomePod

The first generation of HomePods, Apple’s intelligent speaker, isn’t shipping until December, but according to a report by Nikkei, Apple supplier Inventec Appliances is already making projections that future models might have facial and image recognition.

David Ho, the president of the Taiwanese company, recently told reporters, "We see trends that engineers are designing smart speakers that will not only come with voice recognition but also incorporate features such as facial and image recognition," and that "such AI-related features are set to make people's lives more convenient and to make the product easier to use."

Although the HomePod was not specifically mentioned in Ho’s comments, it’s obvious that was the product he was referencing. When rumors about the HomePod started circulating last year, facial recognition was among one of the features Apple was supposedly considering. If integrated into HomePod, the unit could theoretically perform automatic adjustments to a room, depending on who it senses is present.

It’s not completely unlikely that future versions of the HomePod will have Face ID, given that Apple is rolling out the tech to iPads in 2018. The system, introduced on the iPhone X, uses a dot projector that maps a face using up to 30,000 points, allowing users to unlock their phones, make payments, and yes, send Animoji.

Today’s Storystream

Feed refreshed 17 minutes ago Yes, it happened again.

J
The Verge
Jacob Kastrenakes17 minutes ago
YouTube’s biggest defense against TikTok: money.

The company is going to start giving creators a share of ad revenue when commercials play between YouTube Shorts. The platform’s relatively generous payments are a large part of its rich creator culture, and now we’ll find out if they’re enough to lure short-form creators away from TikTok.


E
Twitter
Elizabeth LopattoAn hour ago
Signal, the encrypted messaging app, gets free promotion from Twitter’s lawyers.

Last year, Elon Musk tweeted “Use Signal,” leading to a spike in new users. Twitter’s lawyers said in a footnote in a previous filing that Musk had been messaging with investor Marc Andreessen of a16z on Signal about a Twitter investment. The problem for Twitter’s discovery process is that Signal messages can be set to auto-delete; Musk’s lawyers maintain he doesn’t ordinarily use Signal for business. Now, there’s a sealed motion that.... contains Musk’s Signal tweet. 👀


A
Alex CranzTwo hours ago
If you’re into the minimalist PC build then Nvidia’s latest GPUs might present a problem.

Nvidia finally announced the 40-series—specifically the more expensive and more powerful 4090 and 4080. But big power means these are some big cards and that could be a problem for PC builders who prefer smaller, minimalist looks for their PCs. Builders at the /sffpc subreddit, that focuses on small form factor pc builds, are already worried.


B
The Verge
Barbara KrasnoffTwo hours ago
A lot of people seem to agree that lock screen widgets are one of the best new features of iOS 16.

So we put together a how-to on customizing your iPhone’s lock screen and wallpaper with widgets and design options, and even linking them to Focus modes. It’s easier than you’d think.


M
Youtube
Mitchell ClarkTwo hours ago
Apple replaced the iPhone 14 Pro’s SIM slot with a block of plastic.

iFixit’s teardown of the iPhone 14 Pro gives us a look at what’s behind the Dynamic Island, and does a good job of demonstrating why the regular iPhone 14’s removable back glass is so nice.

We also get to see what’s taken the place of the SIM slot: a bare PCB, and a plastic spacer. So useful!


Welcome to the new Verge

Revolutionizing the media with blog posts

Nilay PatelSep 13
D
External Link
David Pierce4:51 PM UTC
Bluetooth speakerphones are an underrated accessory.

Wirecutter has a good roundup of options, which are as good for Zoom calls as advertised, but they’re also just useful in life! I use mine roughly as a desk phone, and also connect it every time we’re doing the “everyone gather around the phone to talk to Grandma” thing. I have the Jabra Speak 510, and love it.


E
External Link
Elizabeth Lopatto4:28 PM UTC
The SPAC-lash is here.

So remember the craze for SPACs, an alternative way to take a company public? The times, they have a-changed: the SPAC King of Silicon Valley, Chamath Palihapitiya, couldn’t find acquisition targets for two of his piles of cash. One of them, Social Capital Hedosophia VI, is the largest-ever SPAC.


R
Twitter
Richard Lawler4:23 PM UTC
Use every (mega) pixel.

Halide is touted as one of the best photography apps on the iPhone, and as usual, it has a new update out to help you get the most out of the best camera available on the platform — that 48-megapixel sensor on the iPhone 14 Pro.

Version 2.9.0 of Halide is live in the App Store, with quick 48MP shooting directly to HEIC or JPG and many other new features.


N
Quote
Nilay Patel4:21 PM UTC
Speaking of CarPlay.

Dan posted about CarPlay earlier and it reminded me that wireless CarPlay has actually set Apple back in its quest to somehow take over the car market — problems with it disconnecting are the number one complaint from new car owners, according to JD Power. Something to think about as Apple continues its relentless quest to remove all the ports from our phones.

The most frequent problem reported across the industry regardless of powertrain type or brand cachet related to smartphone connectivity. Dropped connections with Apple CarPlay was the number one problem, as Android Auto complaints leveled off from last year. Further, the number of reported problems with wireless Apple CarPlay increased as well, due to the feature being offered in more cars. 


R
Twitter
Richard Lawler2:43 PM UTC
PC gamers showed up for a PlayStation hit.

NPD’s August update for videogame sales has arrived, noting that PS5 was number one in hardware sales for the month and that new-gen hardware sales are up significantly from last year due to improved supply for both the PS5 and Xbox Series X / S.

But the most astounding leap came from Marvel’s Spider-Man, which jumped from 84th on the chart the month before to number 3, thanks to Sony re-releasing the PlayStation exclusive on PC via Steam (and Steam Deck).


D
External Link
Dan Seifert2:37 PM UTC
Apple’s CarPlay is still frustratingly basic.

Stephen Hackett at 512 Pixels has blogged about the frustrations he’s had migrating to a new iPhone and not having his CarPlay preferences carry over, despite every other app on his phone copying over correctly.

I’m with him on that, but I’m more annoyed by the second point he highlights: CarPlay still treats every vehicle you connect to as a different thing. Instead of preserving your preferences when you plug in to a different car, it makes you set it all up again for each new vehicle. This is annoying for families with more than one car; it’s downright maddening for frequent users of rental cars. Seems like a simple thing to fix!