Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 23-01-2018

Apple has announced it will release its HomePod wireless speaker on February 9th and that preorders for the device will start Friday, January 26th. 

The smart speaker will initially go on sale in the US, UK, and Australia. 

The company’s first smart speaker was unveiled last year and is widely seen as Siri’s answer to Amazon’s Alexa. 

Using just your voice, HomePod works together with an Apple Music subscription providing access to one of the world’s largest cloud music libraries. 

With Siri, HomePod can send messages, set timers and reminders, check the weather and listen to shows on Apple Podcasts. The latest business news, headlines and sports updates stream directly to HomePod. It can also be used as a speakerphone with iPhone for crisp and clear audio quality.

Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing Philip Schiller says HomePod is packed with features. 

“HomePod brings advanced audio technologies like beam-forming tweeters, a high-excursion woofer and automatic spatial awareness, together with the entire Apple Music catalogue and the latest Siri intelligence, in a simple, beautiful design that is so much fun to use.” 

Schiller says Apple has worked to give Siri a deeper knowledge of music so that users can ask to play virtually anything from their personal favourites to the latest chart-topping releases, simply by saying ‘Hey Siri.’

At just under 7 inches tall, HomePod is powered by Apples A8 chip. It uses advanced software for real-time acoustic modelling, audio beam-forming, echo cancellation and more. 

Setup is as easy and intuitive as setting up AirPods — simply hold an iPhone next to HomePod and it’s ready to start playing music in seconds.

With support for HomeKit, HomePod can control hundreds of home accessories or set scenes like, “Hey Siri, I’m home,” to control a number of different accessories at the same time. HomePod can turn on the lights, raise the shades, set the desired temperature or make other adjustments. 

Through SiriKit, HomePod supports third-party messaging apps, so users can ask Siri to send a message to a friend or colleague using apps like WhatsApp. Reminders, note-taking and to-do list apps like Things and Evernote will automatically work with HomePod, so Siri can set reminders, create a new list, mark items as complete, or create and modify notes. 

Apple also says that multi-room audio which plays music throughout the house won’t be supported until later this year, with a software update. 

HomePod is available at an Apple retail price of £319 (R 5,400) in white and space grey 

HomePod is compatible with iPhone 5s or later, iPad Pro, iPad Air or later, iPad mini 2 or later, or iPod touch (6th generation) with iOS 11.2.5 or later.

Twitter: @FaizelPatel143