Smart speaker fans have been looking forward to Apple's upcoming HomePod since it was first announced last year. Unfortunately, the company missed their initial December 2017 release target and delayed the launch until sometime in 2018, a move that may have allowed the competing Amazon Echo and Google Home product lines to get a leg up on the competition.
Naturally, this has left many potential customers wondering about the status of Apple's device. However, the HomePod may be closer to a full release than many may think if information discovered by Filipe Espósito of iHelp BR is anything to go by. After digging into the Home app's assets, Espósito noticed a number of icons that seem to be related to the HomePod.
Espósito notes that "users with HomePod will be able to create 'scenes' that disable Siri temporarily," suggesting that you may be able to mute the HomePod's always-on microphones. If true, this could prove to be a useful feature for privacy-focused individuals and families alike.
The discovery of HomePod-related icons isn't the only thing that suggests an impending HomePod release as the device has also recently received FCC approval. As noted by Engadget, this could mean that HomePod is ready to go from a hardware perspective.
https://www.techspot.com/news/72863-you-may-able-mute-homepod-always-microphones.html
