Your face may open up the new iPhone

iPhone rumors...again Code pushed out to a new Apple device, the HomePod smart speaker, had lots of buried treasure regarding Apple's rumored iPhone 8, expected this fall. The highlight? That users will open their device via facial recognition software. The device looks to have a front-facing infrared camera which will scan facial features to unlock the iPhone. Home button? That's apparently gone.

Developer Steve Troughton-Smith dug into the code to uncover the details, pushing them out via Twitter. Missing, noted Troughton-Smith, is a physical home button, instead replaced with code related to a "home indicator," which could be the virtual home button rumored for the past year.

2017 marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of the iPhone, and most iPhone experts expect that Apple will launch a device that resets the idea of the iPhone, potentially revolutionizing the design and software. While opening our devices with a fingerprint once seemed new — facial recognition technology moves the use of biometric technology to a new level of security.

None of this information is confirmed by Apple — which has yet to even confirm that a new iPhone is due out this year. Traditionally, Apple launches new devices such as the iPhone in the fall.

Smart plug A new line of smart home devices from Wasserstein includes a smart plug that works with Amazon Alexa and is fairly priced, we think, at under $30. Testing revealed some interesting details (such as limited mobile app features) but for those looking for a starter smart home product, the company's Smart Wi-Fi Plug is worth a look, or read.