The HomePod mini comes with a secret sensor for measuring temperature and humidity that could be used in the future to add new functionality to the Siri-powered smart speaker.
A Dormant Sensor Waiting to Be Activated
The tiny component, measuring just 1.5 x 1.5 millimeters, is found in the bottom edge of the speaker’s fabric-wrapped case near the power cable.
The repair experts over at iFixit have confirmed the sensor’s location. TechInsights, a firm that analyses components inside of electronics, has identified the sensor as a Texas Instruments component, labeled “HDC2010 Humidity and Temperature Digital Sensor.” This leaves no room for doubt about the purpose of the sensor.
What’s puzzling, however, is the fact that the sensor has yet to be used.
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who has a stellar track record in terms of Apple leaks, notes that the company has never disclosed the component. Also, the HomePod mini currently does not have any user-facing features that would take advantage of the sensor.
The company has internally discussed using the sensor to determine a room’s temperature and humidity so internet-connected thermostats can adjust different parts of a home based on current conditions, according to people familiar with the situation. The hardware could also let the HomePod mini automatically trigger other actions, say turning a fan on or off, depending on the temperature.
He underscored that the sensor isn’t there to help protect the internals from overheating because it’s situated relatively far from the speaker’s main internal components.
No matter how you look at it, the presence of this dormant piece of technology indicates Apple may be planning to add new functionality to the device with future software updates.
Apple’s Dismal Smart Home Offerings
Gurman goes on to speculate that this could be part of the company’s new strategy aimed at shoring up its credibility in the smart home space.
Apple didn’t have a serious offering in the smart-home market until 2018 with the original HomePod. That device was discontinued recently after lackluster sales. Some decision makers at the company worry it may be too late for Apple to make a strong entry in the sector, especially as it focuses on other new categories such as virtual and augmented-reality headsets and electric autonomous cars. Others believe the company can take its time and customers will still be interested.
Gurman suspects this could have something to do with the fact that Siri is still lagging behind Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant. “Whatever the reason, no unifying strategy has emerged so far, one of the people familiar with the situation said,” reads the article.
Currently, Apple’s HomeKit software for the connected home works with fewer smart home accessories than similar offerings from Amazon and Google. Furthermore, the company doesn’t make its own smart home devices aside from the HomePod speakers and Apple TV streaming boxes, both of which double as HomeKit hubs.
Apple has discontinued the larger $299 HomePod speaker to focus on the much more affordable $99 HomePod mini instead. Curiously enough, the Bloomberg report mentions as a side-note that Apple “has also been developing new speakers with screens and cameras,” but those devices apparently aren’t imminent.
Future-Proofing Apple Devices
This isn’t the first time Apple’s used dormant pieces of technology waiting to be activated with future software updates as a means to future-proof its devices.
A good example is Apple’s U1 chip, found in the iPhone 11/12, Apple Watch Series 6, and HomePod mini, that uses Ultra-Wideband technology for spatial awareness. Apple currently uses the chip to power directional AirDrop functionality in iOS along with an enhanced Handoff experience between the HomePod mini and the iPhone, but not much else.
And when the company refreshed the iPod back in 2008, it outfitted the music player with a Bluetooth chip. However, software support for Bluetooth connectivity wouldn’t get implemented on the device until an appropriate update arrived the following year.