Even if it supports other Apple devices, people buying a HomePod will allegedly need an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to complete initial setup.
Users will have to pair with a in a process similar to AirPods, according to iHelp BR, which code in the . It's believed that the speaker's Siri assistant may read out a four-digit authentication code.
People may also need the last four digits of their HomePod or iOS device's serial number, presumably in case of earlier failed setup attempts. and iCloud Keychain could be required to complete some steps in the pairing process, and indeed people will have to be on a WPA or WPA2 Wi-Fi network for setup to work in the first place.
Signing in with an Apple ID will sync a HomePod with iCloud and Apple Music. Configuration options should include setting a gender and accent for Siri, choosing manual or automatic updates through a nearby iOS device, and whether or not to send diagnostic data to Apple on a daily basis.
For people wealthy enough to afford multiple HomePods, there will reportedly be options to update and change settings across several devices at once.
A bit later after the original reveal, iOS developer Guilherme Rambo posted a video of what the setup process may look like.
This is how the HomePod setup will look like on an iPhone.
— Guilherme Rambo (@_inside)
Announced at June's Worldwide Developers Conference, the HomePod is due to . That will make it far more expensive that rival smartspeakers by Amazon and Google, but Apple is placing an emphasis on higher-quality sound, as well as the ability to function as a HomeKit hub.