Apple's HomePod wireless speaker could gain a host of additional capabilities in the future, including 3D hand gestures, the Face ID facial recognition system and much more.
Speaker
In China, you can ask HomePod to tell you a story
HomePod in China includes an interesting storytelling feature for children, unavailable elsewhere, that permits kids to ask the Siri assistant to tell them a story.
HomePod became available in China last Friday, January 18, but this feature was tucked away as a side-note in Apple's press release announcing HomePod's debut in China.
“In China, Siri on HomePod also offers storytelling for children, just say 'Hey Siri, tell me a story',” reads the announcement.
The feature is also being advertised on Apple's HomePod webpage in Chinese, but no further information is provided as to how this works and what the limitations are, if any.
At any rate, this isn't the only China-specific features for the Siri speaker—with the new Artist of the Week program, for instance, Apple Music on HomePod showcases newly discovered talent across greater China.
New artists from mainland China include Corsak, Chace, Lucie Cheung, Gong, Dean Ting and Lu Xianghui while the popular playlists include "The A-List International Pop," "Today’s Hits," 'Best of the Week," "The A-List Mandopop" and "Mandopop Replay", containing recent Mandopop hits from the past five years.
HomePod is available in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, Spain, China and Hong Kong in White and Space Gray.
HomePod will be available in mainland China and Hong Kong starting Friday
Following HomePod's launch in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico and Spain, Apple announced yesterday that the Siri-powered wireless speaker will be available in mainland China and Hong Kong starting this coming Friday, January 18.
Amazon confirmed third-party Alexa speakers will gain Apple Music integration too
Amazon on Wednesday confirmed that Alexa-enabled speakers from third-party makers will soon be able to integrate with Apple Music though the online retailer didn't set a timeline.
Apple will launch HomePod in China and Hong Kong in early 2019
It's official, HomePod is launching in mainland China and Hong Kong in early 2019.
New HomePod 12.1.1 update brings group FaceTime indicator & support for new regions
Apple today released the new iOS 12.1.1 software update for iPhone and iPad and it came with a pair of enhancements for the company's Siri-driven HomePod wireless speaker.
How HomePod uses machine learning to boost far-field Siri accuracy
In a new post published on Monday through its Machine Learning Journal blog, Apple goes on to detail how HomePod, its wireless smart speaker, uses machine learning to increase far-field accuracy, which helps Siri disregard or suppress background sounds to better understand your spoken requests in noisy environments.
How to make a call on speakerphone with Siri on iPhone
Check out this quick tip to make phone calls directly on speakerphone using Siri on your iPhone or iPad.
HomePod 12.1 update with stability and quality improvements now available
Apple today released the iOS 12.1 software for its Siri-powered HomePod speaker, which according to the official changelog includes general improvements for stability and quality.
How to set your iPhone to answer calls with speakerphone automatically
Learn how to set your iPhone to automatically answer calls with speakerphone mode enabled for hands-free convenience in this step-by-step guide.
HomePod is scheduled to arrive in Spain and Mexico on October 26
According to both Apple's online store and the company's press release announcing the new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max smartphones, its Siri-powered HomePod wireless speaker is scheduled to launch next in Spain and Mexico on Friday, October 26.
Samsung’s Galaxy Home speaker will compete against Apple’s HomePod
There's a new smart speaker set to arrive this year, and like the Apple HomePod, it's going to be sold at the top end of the emerging smart home market. The Galaxy Home speaker is the first to include Samsung's Bixby voice assistant; it was announced earlier today alongside the Note 9 smartphone and Galaxy Watch.