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       HomePod mini Features Undocumented Temperature and Humidity Sensor

   Josh Centers

   Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that every HomePod mini sports an
   [1]undocumented Texas Instruments temperature and humidity sensor.
   iFixit confirmed the report by disassembling a HomePod mini and
   identifying the chip, whose location suggests that it's designed to
   monitor the external environment rather than the internal state of the
   HomePod mini's electronics.

   Gurman speculates on the intention of the chip and whether Apple plans
   to activate it or not. Speaking as the author of [2]Take Control of
   Apple Home Automation), I'd like to offer some thoughts of my own:
     * Apple may have planned to make this feature public initially but
       cut it at the last minute over fear of losing its few HomeKit
       partners. Eve makes the Eve Room, which senses temperature and
       humidity, and this HomePod mini capability could hurt Eve's sales
       significantly.
     * The Home app's support for sensors is weak. I have to use the Eve
       app to create an automation to trigger my dehumidifier when the
       humidity is high, even though Eve is just a front end to HomeKit,
       exactly like Apple's Home app (see '[3]A Prairie HomeKit Companion:
       The Elgato Eve Room,' 19 June 2017). Perhaps Apple is waiting to
       release an improved Home app before implementing the feature.

   It's also entirely possible that Apple will never use the sensor for
   anything and that it will disappear from future builds of the HomePod
   mini.

   [4]Read original article

References

   Visible links
   1. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-22/apple-homepod-mini-secret-sensor-for-smart-home-thermostats
   2. https://www.takecontrolbooks.com/apple-home-automation/?pt=TIDBITS
   3. https://tidbits.com/2017/06/19/a-prairie-homekit-companion-the-elgato-eve-room/
   4. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-22/apple-homepod-mini-secret-sensor-for-smart-home-thermostats

   Hidden links:
   5. https://tidbits.com/wp/../uploads/2021/03/HomePod-mini-internals.jpg

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