‘HomePad’ is coming next week, with three features I’ve long wanted

Apple’s long-rumored ‘HomePad’ product is finally set to be unveiled next Tuesday at the ‘Welcome home’ event. Here are three HomePad features I’ve been waiting a long time for.

#1: Apple Photos on a digital picture frame

Digital picture frames are nothing new. But I’ve never owned one, in large part for two reasons:

1. All my pictures live in Apple Photos
2. I don’t want to manually add pictures to the digital frame

There are currently zero digital picture frames with native Apple Photos integration for an effort-free experience. But with the HomePad, rumors indicate there’s a Photos face available that will automatically cycle through pictures from Apple Photos.

This is exactly what I’ve been wanting for years. I hope to put several HomePads throughout the house so they can surprise and delight me with memories at every turn (while providing other key features too).

#2: Apple Music in the home with lyrics onscreen

I own a few HomePods, and enjoy listening to music with them. But what I’ve really wanted for a long time is the chance to see lyrics while listening.

Thanks to AirPlay, I can do this with my iPhone while music plays through the HomePod. I rarely do this, though, because I try to avoid pulling my phone out as much as possible with family around.

With HomePad though, all signs point to the Music app letting you view lyrics onscreen while a song is playing. I’m terrible at picking up lyrics just by ear, so I’m excited for the chance to better learn songs while staying in the moment with family members when we’re listening together.

#3: Siri AI in a HomePod-like device with a display

Siri AI is a major improvement over the old Siri. Unlike the old Siri on my HomePods, Siri AI can handle basically any question you throw at it. And with the HomePad, not only will Siri’s intelligence get a boost—it will also be able to show visuals in its responses.

I ask Siri on my HomePods to do basic things like set reminders, or provide info on the weather. But with Siri AI on the HomePad, I imagine I’ll turn to Siri far more often than I ever have. That’s already been true with Siri AI on my iPhone.

Having Apple’s new AI assistant all throughout the house, and equipped with a display for showing visual results, should prove a big improvement from my current HomePod setup.

Are you interested in Apple’s HomePad, and if so, what do you imagine using it for? Let us know in the comments.

Best Apple Home accessories

• eufy 4K camera with HomeKit Secure Video
• Aqara Smart Lock with Apple Home Key and UWB
• HomeKit Garage Door Opener
• HomeKit smart plug 4-pack
• Aqara Smart Thermostat with Adaptive Temperature

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