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HomePod Mini Supports Low-Power Thread Networking Technology

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As disclosed on the specs page for Apple's new HomePod mini, the diminutive speaker is Apple's first to support Thread networking technology.

homepod_mini_hand.jpg

Thread is a low-power IP-based networking technology for connecting Internet of Things (IoT) devices, offering a secure, mesh-based system that makes it easy to build an ecosystem of devices.

While Thread is essentially agnostic to the application layers that run on top of it, it can support multiple layers and may play a role in Project Connected Home over IP, the alliance of Apple, Amazon, Google, and other companies that is seeking to make it simpler to build devices compatible with multiple ecosystems such as Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.

For the time being, however, Apple says in a footnote that HomePod mini's Thread support is limited to HomeKit devices, so the technology can't yet be leveraged cross-platform and it remains to be seen how Apple will embrace Thread going forward.

Apple is a noted supporter of the Thread project, with longtime Apple engineer Stuart Cheshire, who developed the Rendezvous/Bonjour zero-configuration standard nearly 20 years ago, serves as a director of Thread Group.

Apple's HomePod mini will be available for pre-order starting November 6, and it will officially launch on November 16.

Article Link: HomePod Mini Supports Low-Power Thread Networking Technology
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2020/10/13/homepod-mini-thread/
So does this mean I can make a wireless 5.1 setup?
Disappointed when not..
 
Very interesting indeed. I wonder how it will be incorporated into the other smart products. Will we really see Alexa responding out of a HomePod in the future? Doubtful. More likely Siri will be able to control more smart things than just what’s in your Apple Home.
 
I’ve been saying since Apple discontinued Airport that Apple was heading towards a future where a WiFi router based home network was irrelevant.

Today, Apple implemented two of those necessary pieces. Thread networks devices without the need for a central “home network” and 5G provides speed and bandwidth not only matching that of a WiFi network but exceeding it.

The future of home networks is no home networks. Every device just talks to each other directly and where feasible and necessary, devices connect to the internet via their own embedded 5G chip.

June 2019:
ipedro said:
If we look closely at Apple's hardware releases in the last several years, it's possible to interpret their strategy and understand why Apple got out of the router game.

The answer is that each Apple device is its own piece of a mesh network. Every Apple device recognizes Apple devices around it and seamlessly creates a network of all devices logged into the same Apple ID and known Apple ID's.

The reliability of transferring files via AirDrop has gotten to a point where it really does just work. iCloud puts storage in the cloud where any device can access it, even outside of a traditional local network. Printers connect directly to each device, without having to configure them manually. These functions constitute the majority of uses for a home network.

The obvious piece that's missing is of course internet access. iPhones connect to the internet directly via LTE and can even get other devices online like Macs and iPads. But LTE data is expensive and Macs and AppleTVs consume large amounts of data. This is where 5G will come in. Speeds are expected to exceed terrestrial internet and available bandwidth will enable ISP's to charge the same for wireless data as they do for traditional internet — with the added benefit that it's much cheaper to deploy 5G infrastructure than it is optical cabling under city streets and on poles.

Some people will probably say that this isn't viable for offices. Commercial networks were never AirPort's focus. IT departments didn't buy a bunch of AirPort to build networks. It was always primarily a consumer device. We have to see this from a consumer perspective and so for consumers, a direct internet connection via a 5G chip built into each device makes far more sense than configuring WiFi networks at home.

Mesh networks are experiencing a bit of a moment now but I don't think that will last as 5G is deployed and people start relying on their future iPhone's 5G connection when data prices drop to the price of traditional home internet prices. Apple wasn't looking at the short term when they decided to abandon AirPort. They're thinking ahead. I fully expect Macs and even AppleTV's to come with built in 5G chips in the coming years and for Watches and iPads to come with cellular chips standard.
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All I read was "Apple supports "Thread" to make it easier to connect Siri, Alexa, Google together.....but so far this will just work with Siri." lol
 
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mashdots said:
Can confirm on the tech specs page. What the h*ck.

I suppose they don't anticipate over 300mbps of throughput with these.
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I believe they used 802.11ac for the range on the HomePod. But because of Thread, many HomePod minis can be meshed to improve range so there's no need for ac (and to keep costs down).

EDIT: nevermind, range is approx the same. not sure.

maybe it needs 802.11ac for fast video transfer for secure video (for video analysis using ML)
 
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The fact that they used low-power network technology makes me think they might have planned to make it battery powered at one point. I'm disappointed they didn't.

Apple had a great chance to enter the portable speaker market here and they didn't take it. I'm kind of surprised.
 
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ipedro said:
I’ve been saying since Apple discontinued Airport that Apple was heading towards a future where a WiFi router based home network was irrelevant.

Today, Apple implemented two of those necessary pieces. Thread networks devices without the need for a central “home network” and 5G provides speed and bandwidth not only matching that of a WiFi network but exceeding it.

The future of home networks is no home networks. Every device just talks to each other directly and where feasible and necessary, devices connect to the internet via their own embedded 5G chip.

June 2019:
Click to expand...

yeah, get back to me when hotspot doesn't drop the connection every five minutes 🤣
 
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Reactions: rahhb.riley
ipedro said:
I’ve been saying since Apple discontinued Airport that Apple was heading towards a future where a WiFi router based home network was irrelevant.

Today, Apple implemented two of those necessary pieces. Thread networks devices without the need for a central “home network” and 5G provides speed and bandwidth not only matching that of a WiFi network but exceeding it.

The future of home networks is no home networks. Every device just talks to each other directly and where feasible and necessary, devices connect to the internet via their own embedded 5G chip.

June 2019:
Click to expand...


Idahoans will need some convincing on this...
 
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Keniutek said:
Should have been waterproof and wireless.
Click to expand...

The wireless option I totally agree with and Apple knows it’s entirely feasible, especially when you look at the completion has been doing this for years. Portability creates convenience, so to me, that’s kinda of a miss.

As for the ‘waterproofing’, I don’t care one way or the other. But it’s still an additional selling point if Apple had included it.
 
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