Video Reveals What HomePod’s OS Will Sound Like

Last Friday, Apple released HomePod’s firmware for developers to dig through and get acquainted with. Since then, the firmware has become a treasure trove of information — all but confirming several features of HomePod, as well as the highly anticipated iPhone 8. Today, we’re getting another peek at certain aspects of Apple’s first standalone smart speaker.

Specifically, developer Avery Magnotti discovered a slew of what appear to be HomePod user interface sounds hidden within a file titled “audioOS.” Presumably, the array of sounds and tones will be what a user will hear when interacting with HomePod’s operating system — from alarms and timers to setup dings. If you’re curious, you can listen to audio of the sounds in the YouTube video below, posted today by Magnotti.

The sounds’ file names can also be seen below, in the order that they appear in HomePod’s firmware.

• alarm1.wav
• Lighthouse.wav
• SessionInactive-b238.wav
• SetupFinal-b238.m4a
• SetupSetSource-b238.m4a
• SetupStepTarget-b238.m4a
• timer.wav
• TwoShot-b238.wav
• WOCAudioPasscodeTone.wav

As far as speculation as to what each sound will be used for, some seem pretty straightforward. “Alarm1” and “Timer1,” true to their names, will probably be used for setting timers and alarms on HomePod’s OS. The three setup sounds will likely be used for HomePod’s initial setup and pairing process. The purpose for the rest of the sounds is a bit more unclear, but judging by Apple’s tone naming process, “Lighthouse” could be used for notifications. “TwoShot” sounds like a simple affirmative ding.

Earlier this week, Magnotti also discovered other tidbits about HomePod, including the device’s display resolution and memory specifications. Specifically, HomePod’s display is clocked at 272 x 340 and the standalone speaker will come equipped with 1 gigabyte of RAM — equivalent to the iPhone 6 lineup. Also, like the iPhone 6, the device will run on an Apple A8 chipset and will use a modified version of iOS.

HomePod will also feature music-oriented Siri capabilities and an array of advanced acoustic technologies, including a “spatial awareness” system that’ll allow for the speaker to analyze the size of the space it’s setup in and optimize audio playback accordingly.

The Apple speaker will also sport seven tweeters and an upward-facing woofer, which should give the device much higher audio quality and loudness than similar competing speakers. Additionally, it’s worth noting that the HomePod’s internal specs will give the device a lot more processing power than other smart speakers. For those worried about privacy, Apple promised consumers that HomePod’s six microphones will be inactive unless turned on by “Hey, Siri,” and no personal data will be sent to Apple’s servers beforehand.

First announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June, HomePod is slated for a December launch. It will be available in Space Gray and White when it ships and will retail for $349.