HomePod firmware reveals more secrets of Apple’s smart speaker
Apple’s HomePod smart speaker will run iOS — like an iPhone without the screen, but it won’t support third party apps or extensions according to firmware posted online. That was probably to be expected at launch, though Apple could still announce third-party support before HomePod’s release later this year. The code was first analyzed by developer Steve Troughton-Smith, as spotted by 9to5Mac and others.
Troughton-Smith found that the smart speaker’s shell app is called SoundBoard. That’s most likely a nod to SpringBoard, the application that manages the iOS home screen. The speaker seems to run a full iOS stack, according to the developer, with the apps prefixed with “Air,” such as AirMusic and AirPodcasts. The firmware also confirms the…