With the HomePod, Apple has dipped their toes into the smart speaker waters. However, judging from the reports we’ve seen, it has barely made a dent in the market which is still largely dominated by the likes of Amazon and Google, who have launched smart speakers that are decidedly more feature-rich.
The good news for HomePod owners and would-be owners is that it looks like Apple has plans to do something about it. While no official announcement was made during Apple’s iPhone event, the company did update its HomePod website in which they revealed that the speaker would be gaining some new features and functionality this fall.
Starting on the 30th of September, the first change that HomePod owners can expect is the addition of 100,000 radio stations, meaning that by asking Siri, users will be able to tune into a variety of radio stations include iHeartRadio9, Radio.com, and TuneIn, although it will require an Apple ID or Apple Music to function.
The website also reveals that other features coming to the HomePod include Ambient Sounds, where users can request sounds like ocean waves, forest birds, rainstorms, and so on. It has also suggested that multi-user support for up to six users could also be in the works. There is no date on when these features will arrive except to say in the fall, so we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled.
Filed in . Read more about HomePod, Siri and Speakers. Source: appleinsider