Apple’s HomePod mini smart speaker, launched last November, has new features such as a Home intercom system, but the device was found to have a sensor hidden inside that can measure temperature and humidity. This part could become Apple’s secret weapon to catch up with rivals like Amazon and Google.
Bloomberg Information reports that Apple has not revealed this component to the public, and no consumer has yet been able to use its functions. But people familiar with the matter said Apple has discussed internally the use of the sensor to connect to a networked thermostat to set and adjust the temperature of individual rooms in the home. In addition, the sensor could also allow HomePod mini to automatically trigger actions based on temperature, such as starting and stopping fans.
If Apple does finally enable this sensor feature, it should strengthen its smart home strategy, which still sometimes lacks focus and lags behind its rivals. Amazon’s latest Echo smart speaker also has a temperature sensor, and Google’s Nest also sells sensors that can be installed throughout the home and connected to a thermostat to adjust the temperature in each room.
These new features for Apple’s HomeKit software system, will be a major benefit. Apple’s system can control the thermostat, lights, door locks, plugs and other devices in the home, but the devices that can be controlled are fewer than similar software launched by Amazon and Google, and Apple does not make other smart home devices except for HomePod and Apple TV set-top boxes. However, according to Apple’s official website, there are still about 40 thermostats corresponding to the HomeKit system.
Although rare, this is not the first Time Apple has hidden a secret feature in its own devices. The iPod touch launched in 2008 had a hidden Bluetooth chip, but support for Bluetooth connectivity was not enabled until the next year through software.
Apple basically rolls out a major software update for the HomePod every year in the fall. It’s unclear when Apple will enable the temperature sensor, but given that the HomePod mini is currently available on the market, it’s only a matter of time before it’s enabled. An Apple spokesperson declined to comment.
Apple’s HomePod mini (pictured left) was found to have a sensor that measures temperature and humidity, but there is no corresponding function yet.
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