That Apple HomePod leak is the gift that keeps on giving. Developer Guilherme Rambo has continued to dig through the code in the HomePod firmware to find some more interesting tidbits of information that may hint at a very interesting iPhone 8 feature. It looks like iPhone 8 notifications are getting much smarter.
On Twitter, Guilherme Rambo has been detailing the interesting pieces of code he has found within the HomePod firmware. One of his recent Tweets shows off some code that mentions “TLAttentionAwarenessObserver.” There are also strings of code that say, “supportsAttentuatingTonesForAttentionDetected,” and, “updateAudioVolumeDynamicallyForAlert.” What does that mean? Well, we can’t be sure until Apple makes an official announcement. However, when you consider these pieces of code all as one big picture, you can start to make some interesting assumptions. A lot of industry watchers believe that this code shows that the iPhone 8 will be able to know whether you are paying attention to it or not. If you are, it appears that the iPhone 8 will then be able to adjust notification volume and tone based on how much attention you are paying to the device.
This could be an incredible feature or a huge flop. A lot will depend on how well the feature works in real life. If it works very well then this could be a very handy feature to have. If you’re like me, you hate when notifications interrupt whatever you’re doing on the device. If this notification feature is what a lot of people think it is; Apple may have completely changed the notification game. Sure, it’s a little bit creepy that your iPhone will know when you are paying attention to it and when you are looking away but it’s also a very cool utilization of the 3D face scanning.
We also know 3D face scanning, known as PearlID, will be available in the iPhone 8. The front facing infrared camera on the iPhone 8 will be able to scan a user’s face and map out important points. Then, using just their face, users will be able to unlock their device, authorize Apple Pay purchases, and access secure apps. Of course, we have seen other manufacturers try out features like iris scanning with mixed results but if anyone can make 3D face scanning a popular feature, it’s Apple.
We won’t have to wait long to find out more about 3D face scanning and any updates to iPhone 8 notifications. Many experts believe that the iPhone 8 will be released on time in September alongside a new iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus. Of course, the biggest difference between all of those devices will be the all-new design expected for the iPhone 8. The home button is gone and, in it’s place, is a beautiful OLED display that stretches from edge to edge of the device. All of these amazing rumored features and that beautiful display won’t come cheap, though. The estimated cost of the iPhone 8 starts at $1,100. Start saving your spare change if you plan on getting your hands on what could be the biggest smartphone launch of the fall.
