During WWDC24 ’s opening keynote , Apple preview some of the productive AI features roll out on select devices afterward this year . From text and notice sum-up to artificially generated range of a function and emojis — Apple Intelligencewill equip compatible iPhones , iPads , and Macs with a plethora of handy tools that form on a system level .
Notably , several devices are omitted from that list — Apple Watch , Vision Pro , and perhaps most glaring of all , HomePod . For the time being , Apple ’s impudent speakers ironically wo n’t be getting any of the Apple Intelligence perks . And they probably never will .
HomePod’s hardware constraints
Perhaps the chief reason Apple Intelligence wo n’t be supported on current HomePod model is their internal specs . For mention , the upcoming AI features willonly workon some of the high - remainder Apple products , including M - series power iPads and Macs , in accession to the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max — thanks to the A17 Pro Saratoga chip .
What all of these compatible devices have in common is at least 8 GB of RAM and a brawny Neural Engine . So , while the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus launched alongside the 15 Pro fashion model , they wo n’t support Apple Intelligence feature of speech . That ’s presumptively due to the A16 Bionic chipset and the lower 6 GB of RAM it packs .
The latest HomePod 2 is fuel by an S7 chip , featuring just 1 GB of RAM and no Neural Engine . It ’s the same SoC find in 2021 ’s Apple Watch Series 7 . If the most capable , S9 - equipped Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2can’t manage Apple Intelligence , then neither can devices power by substandard processors — such as the HomePod lineup .
The HomePod mini is the perfect vehicle for Apple Intelligence—but it won’t get it.
Private Cloud Compute isn’t the answer
Apple Intelligence , by pattern , prioritizes on - gimmick processing . However , Apple has also developed a pullout , cloud - free-base substructure to process more ripe queries that consumer machine ca n’t handle topically . Dubbed “ individual Cloud Compute , ” these server - based models utilize Apple silicon chips and their Secure Enclave to psychoanalyse code exploiter data . So , why not bake support for individual Cloud Compute into HomePods ?
The HomePod mini is the double-dyed fomite for Apple Intelligence — but it wo n’t get it .
Foundry
The HomePod mini is the perfect vehicle for Apple Intelligence—but it won’t get it.
Well , as cite earlier , Apple want individual Cloud Compute to pretend as a disengagement option when the gadget ca n’t do a certain project . It ’s not meant to be the default or only engine powering Apple ’s AI features on incompatible products . This could be due to several reasons , such as the consequent waiter overload if millions of underpowered devices actively send petition for swarm processing .
John Gruber at Daring Fireballexplainsin greater particular : “ The models that run on - twist are entirely unlike models than the ones that course in the swarm , and one of those on - equipment models is the heuristic that determine which tasks can carry out with on - twist processing and which require Private Cloud Compute or ChatGPT . ” He add that Apple Intelligence ’s on - twist processing “ factor of Apple Intelligence “ is n’t just nice to have , it ’s a keystone to the integral thing . ”
That ’s not to say this vision could potentially modify down the route , once Apple polish up Private Cloud Compute and upgrades its server . After all , Apple Intelligence is launching as a beta , and the society is only getting started in this arena . to boot , we ’ve take rumour about Apple possibly relying on swarm computing in the futurity to power weak vesture . So , things may change when Apple finally get the hang the AI and swarm processing format .
Could Apple open up Private Cloud Compute to one day include less-powerful devices such as Homepod and Apple Watch? Possibly not.
A future AI HomePod
Beyond potentially take over individual Cloud Compute down the road , which seems somewhat unconvincing , Apple ’s most square path for lend Apple Intelligence to the HomePod is to introduce a raw form broker . harmonise to reputable leaker , the company has been work on an overhauled HomePod that features a video display and a FaceTime photographic camera . While we are n’t expecting this prospicient - rumoredHomePod with a displayto launch this twelvemonth , it could turn to the current hardware limitation when it does .
Could Apple open up individual Cloud Compute to one twenty-four hour period include less - potent devices such as Homepod and Apple Watch ? Possibly not .
Given that the added screen door and camera would unlock new HomePod capabilities , Apple will by nature have to adopt a more powerful processor with more RAM . This could therefore promote the HomePod ’s hardware to reach the minimum eyeglasses required to run Apple Intelligence . However , Mark Gurman of Bloombergreports that HomePod is “ too low - volume a merchandise to waste the engineering time ” on build a machine that can substantiate Apple Intelligence . Rather , Apple is focus on building the next generation of HomePod , include , “ an entirely unexampled robotic twist with a display that includes Apple Intelligence at its marrow . ”
That makes gumption , because a presentation is somewhat key to Apple Intelligence , as many of its AI features are primarily ocular . So , for example , a HomePod in its current var. factor wo n’t be able to generate images or compose emails on your behalf . The Siri it pack revolves around voice commands for moderate music playback and HomeKit accessories , along with answering basic doubt ( or at least trying to ) . Apple Intelligence , on the other hand , on the face of it excels at productiveness and entertainment tasks that a sassy speaker ca n’t necessarily output . For the most part , I think using Apple Intelligence features on the current HomePods would be an unintuitive experience — except , of course , for Siri .
The best - case scenario for current HomePod users is Apple expanding integration with ChatGPT to let in the HomePod . By doing so , the underpowered HomePods would be able to answer more advanced question without needing to change the way Apple ’s Private Cloud Compute work , as OpenAI would be handle the queries or else .
Despite this death penalty being technologically possible , it ’s unconvincing Apple will go that route . ChatGPT and whatever other third - party AI chatbots Apple partners with are meant to fill the interruption in Apple Intelligence , not serve as the primary AI engine . Nevertheless , Apple needs to line up some way to upgrade the current subpar Siri experience , especially when our iPhones , iPads , and Macs will be so much good . Perhaps Siri can pause free from the large Apple Intelligence experience so current HomePods can get an upgrade too . Until then , we ’re all going to keep discover that all - too - familiar Siri reply , “ I found some WWW results . I can show them if you need again from your iPhone . ”
Update 7/1 : Mark Gurman of Bloomberg claim Apple is n’t planning to update the current HomePod speakers to corroborate Apple Intelligence .
