Apple HomePods could soon be able to support phone calls under iOS 12. This was spotted by 9to5Mac, that has accessed the iOS 12 developer beta 5, which was recently made public. The call support feature was being rumoured, as well as the possibility of a multiple timer feature. HomePod’s upgraded capabilities will only be conclusively known when iOS 12 is officially launched.

The 9to5Mac report shows the personal request setup UI of the latest iOS 12 beta version. While the previous beta version showed support for messages, reminders, and notes to the digital speaker, the setup UI on iOS 12 developer beta 5 also mentions phone calls. It does not show the phone app’s image, as the app is yet to be made available in the simulator.

Previous rumours around updates for Apple HomePod have also indicated that the device will also receive iOS Calendar support.

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As part of iOS 12 developer beta 5, iPhone and iPad users will receive general performance enhancements, while the ARKit 2.0 will be available with shared experiences. Meanwhile, image search and sharing has been refined, as the Stocks, Voice Memos, Apple Books, and Apple News apps have also received upgrades. This iOS beta also extends Siri access to more third-party apps, alongside Siri Shortcuts based on Workflow.

User management feature upgrades on iOS 12 developer beta 5 include better notification management, as well as updates to Do Not Disturb (DND). At the same time, Screen Time will now get parental controls, while the personalised Animoji called Memoji feature will also be enabled for iMessages. FaceTime will support video calling up to 31 contacts, allowing a maximum of 32 people in a single FaceTime call.