iOS 11 beta 7 reveals HomePod set up process similar to AirPods
As discovered by iHelp BR, iOS 11 beta 7 has seemingly revealed how HomePod users will connect to the speaker upon initial set up, with an image asset and code showing a pairing process similar to the one used upon first connecting to AirPods.
It appears that when powering on HomePod for the first time, users will see a prompt to pair the device with their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch similarly to how the AirPod pairing process is conducted, with Apple likely pairing the smart speaker with a users Mac or Apple Tv via iCloud after first pairing an iOS device.
Available in December, the new speaker will use an Apple-designed 4-inch woofer powered by Apple’s A8 chip; the HomePod is cased in a mesh with a display at the top that shows the familiar Siri icon when a user prompts the device. HomePod will be able to play music, read the news, send and receive iMessages, set reminds, listen to Podcasts, provide answers to general questions, check the weather and perform many other tasks.
On another screen that should appear on iOS, you can set some HomePod settings in the same style as the initial setup of an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch. The difference, however, is that Siri must be present in almost the entire process through the sound box. Some internal codes suggest that at some point the wizard will spell out a code in the HomePod, which must be typed in iOS to continue pairing. The system may also require the last four digits of the device serial number, for security reasons.