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HomePod will be able to set multiple timers this fall

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Image: lili sams/mashable

2018%2f05%2f22%2f78%2fimg 2415.d8e2bBy Jake Krol2018-07-23 16:09:59 UTC

A new report suggests that while Apple was hush about the HomePod at its 2018 Worldwide Developer Conference, new features are coming in the fall.

French blog iGeneration is reporting Apple has seeded “HomePod OS 12” to select employees, rather than issuing a developer or public beta. It brings a bunch of features, and will likely land for consumers alongside iOS 12 later this year.

HomePod users have been vocal about not being able to set multiple timers. Good news: this feature is in the beta, finally letting users time the cooking of their eggs well as their bacon.

Speaking of food, Siri is supposed gain more knowledge about food and nutrition with the update. The report was fuzzy on the details of this, but it could mean new cooking-specific commands, access too recipes, or even linking calories back to the Health app in iOS.

The HomePod can be great for phone calls, except that it’s entirely dependent on the iPhone — the device can’t start a call or eve accept one. That’s changing in the update, though, and you’ll be able to initiate a call, answer calls, search call history, and even dial a specific number. The report did not specify if it works with FaceTime audio calls, but that’s likely the case.

This software update will bring Find My iPhone to the HomePod, allowing you to ask, “Hey Siri, can you find my iPhone.” 

Image: lili sams/mashable

If you travel with the HomePod or have multiple WiFi networks, the Home app will now allow the smart speaker to quickly reconnect to another network — so long as your iOS device is connected to it or knows the password.

With the update, the HomePod will be more on par with the Amazon Echo and Google Home, though it’ll still fall short since it can’t recognize voices or support multiple users.

Fair warning: While these are all welcome features and would enhance Apple’s smart speaker, some may get delayed or not even see the light of day.

HomePod owners will have to anxiously wait until the fall to see if this update comes to fruition alongside iOS 12 and macOS Mojave.

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