HomePod will be available in mainland China and Hong Kong starting Friday
Availability of Apple’s Siri-powered wireless speaker is scheduled to expand to mainland China and Hong Kong starting this coming Friday, January 18
Wireless
Apple’s allegedly begun production of the elusive AirPower multi-device wireless charger
Originally intended to be released in 2018, the Qi wireless charger could be coming soon because Apple’s suppliers have purportedly begun mass production of the device, with one company said to start churning out first units later this month.
Harpy: A new jailbreak app that lets you rule your local Wi-Fi network with an iron fist
You can now manage your local Wi-Fi network or Personal Hotspot with a powerful new jailbreak app called Harpy.
Xiaomi’s new wireless earbuds look familiar
Meet Mi AirDots Pro, Xiaomi’s affordable replica of AirPods that includes some features not found on Apple’s buds, such as active noise cancellation and sweat resistance.
Mophie unveils battery cases for latest iPhones with Qi wireless charging, Lightning port access
In addition to advanced impact protection, the new Juice Pack cases feature full access to your iPhone’s Lightning port and integrate a built-in battery and wireless charging.
Amazon confirmed third-party Alexa speakers will gain Apple Music integration too
Amazon has officially confirmed that Alexa-enabled speakers from third-party brands will soon be permitted to integrate with Apple Music following Echo exclusivity.
Apple will launch HomePod in China and Hong Kong in early 2019
HomePod is officially launching in mainland China and Hong Kong in early 2019, according to Apple itself.
New HomePod 12.1.1 update brings group FaceTime indicator & support for new regions
The LEDs on your HomePod will now illuminate when in a group FaceTime call. And as a cool bonus, customers in Hong Kong and mainland China can now enjoy their HomePod fully thanks to expanded regional support.
Kuo: Google and Amazon working on competing AirPod-alike wireless earbuds for 2019 launch
Apple’s popular accessory could face stiff competition in 2019 as Google and Amazon are believed to be targeting the market for wireless earbuds that Apple’s helped mainstream.
How HomePod uses machine learning to boost far-field Siri accuracy
Apple’s Audio Software Engineering and Siri Speech Team explain how HomePod uses machine learning running on the 64-bit Apple A8 processor to filter out echo, reverberation and background noise when making spoken requests to Siri.
Bloomberg: don’t expect a 5G-capable iPhone until 2020 at the earliest
Just as was the case in the past with the 3G and 4G LTE transition, Apple has employed the waiting tactic and won’t jump on the 5G bandwagon this or next year, meaning a 5G-capable iPhone won’t launch before 2020, at the earliest.
Kuo: AirPods with wireless charging due in 2019, overhauled model in 2020
AirPods, which Kuo calls Apple’s most popular accessory ever, should sell a hundred million units by 2021. That’s a huge increase over an estimated sixteen million units sold in 2017.