There was also the case of activating 802.11n WiFi in the first plastic enclosure Intel MacBooks around 2007, I think.Well actually no. Apple has an extensive history of this. The first example that comes to mind is the Bluetooth chip in the second generation iPod touch. it sat there for a year until someone identified it. About 6 months after that Apple turned it on in an update and went - Hey, guess what.... it’s had Bluetooth you could have used all along.
Apple Unlocks Bluetooth in iPod Touch 2nd Generation
Although the new iPhone OS 3.0 runs on existing iPhone and iPod Touch hardware, the new OS unlocks a hardware feature we’ve known about for six months. With OS 3.0, Bluetooth is now available on the…www.ifixit.com
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HomePod Mini Features Dormant Temperature and Humidity Sensor That Could Be Activated in a Future Software Update
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Only way I see them activating this is if they release an Apple thermostat. No chance they will just add this as a HomeKit temperature sensor as a bonus "feature" without having people buy it a second time.
My biggest problem is I’ve got so much apple kit that when I say hey siri , I get about 5 different things answering at the same time 😂 . It gets very confusing especially after you’ve had a few 🍹 s
love my minis and may pick up another I would say for the kitchen. maybe another also for a stereo pair option.
Maybe its so they can tell I broke it by using it in the bathroom too long when I was singing the shower just loud enough for my kids friends to hear me when they are all gaming online. Being an awkward Dad is fun!
Just a technical note. Environment measurement chips measure their environment at their position. If the sensor is embedded somewhere inside the device, the environment may not be representative of the general conditions in the room. Whatever they then might be, because the temperature measured at different locations within a room may vary several degrees even in mild conditions. More if it is cold or hot outside.
So, the use case of this one is not entirely clear.
So, the use case of this one is not entirely clear.
apparently it is... some Eve accessories are using it to communicate with the hub (HomePod mini)
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Well, this is kinda cool. Too bad it’s not active. I would love the ability to turn fans/heaters on at specific temperature set points in each room using HomeKit. Hopefully they integrate and functionalism these sensors soon.
It's $1.002 each if you buy 1,000. Apple almost certainly bought it in 1,000,000 if not 10,000,000 and got a better deal.
No, those sensors are just there to void your warranty.
I heard rumors the iphone also contained a built-in FM radio. My guess is that many consumer electronic products have product features that are not activated for a variety of reasons. That's just the way she goes and the consumer just has to pay for it. Maybe at some point Apple will activate them or someone could start a class action lawsuit.
a class action lawsuit for what exactly? this feature was never advertised... you didn't "pay" for it.
iPhones used to have FM chips, through the iPhone 6s - but no longer:
Apple would like to remind the FCC that it can’t activate imaginary FM radios that iPhones don’t have
Could this be the reason why Apple discontinued the big HomePod? Perhaps with iOS 15 and its counterparts Apple will introduce climate functionality to the HomePod mini and introduce an updated HomePod (Max?) with the same new functionalities?
If that was the plan all along, they wouldn't have discontinued the HomePod regular now. They would've done so the same day they introduced the mini.
My guess is they were hoping sales of the regular would pick up a little, and they didn't, so they killed it off half a year later.
I can't really see them keeping only the mini around, though. That'd be weird. But I do expect we won't see another $299 (originally $349) overengineered HomePod. Instead, they'll do something smaller, or perhaps more specific (e.g., a soundbar — possibly combined into one device with the next Apple TV).
Let’s see if Apple continues to invest in HomeKit and smart home devices. They should give a clear signal they’re not abandoning this market. Activating these sensors could be a step in the right direction. But somehow I’m not convinced this will happen.
I see a parking lot and a giant soap bar, viewed from above…
joke apart, this reminds me of the articles about the hidden FM radio receiver in early iPhones.
joke apart, this reminds me of the articles about the hidden FM radio receiver in early iPhones.
Agree...Perhaps, Apple is planning to release HomePod Mini 2 with "new and improved" temperature and humidity!...LOL
The U1 chip has been in use since 14.4 my iPhone provides changing haptic feedback the closer I move it towards the HomePod mini
… so says every HomeKit user for the past several years.
I'm guessing it's what most others have said… probably there more for warranty purposes than for providing anything useful to users.
In order to do that effectively, you either need a separate heat source for every room, or servo-controlled dampers to every duct in a forced-air HVAC system.