If you’re not careful, you’ll inadvertently startle someone by cuing up a playlist — trust me, I know. Siri confirmation tone will now play to indicate when smart home requests are completed for accessories that may not visibly show a change or are located in a different room. While the HomePod 2 still has some of the same musical inflexibilities as its predecessor, including a lack of audio streaming options for Android phones, Apple has crowed about its smart home potential. Here's how the design changes and features compare to the iPhone 14 lineup. Siri does a solid job with straightforward tasks like playing music or checking the weather, but it has neither Alexa’s third-party skills nor Google Assistant’s talent for answering general knowledge questions. Tap Software Update to see if there are any available . HomePod mini Not Responding: 9 Ways to Fix! I believe the auto update is only for installing updates, not downloading them. Don't assume you'll get the vaunted spatial audio or Apple . Copyright © 2023 IDG Communications, Inc. Remastered ambient sounds are more immersive and can now be added to scenes, automations, and alarms in the Home app. Developers can now try out tvOS 17 by enrolling their Apple TV in the Apple Developer Program. The update might take some time. With that in mind, we’re revisiting the HomePod mini to see if it’s still a viable option. Apple has been involved in a long-running iPhone trademark dispute in Brazil, which was revived today by IGB Electronica, a Brazilian consumer electronics company that originally registered the "iPhone" name in 2000. Once the update begins, a white spinning light will appear on the top of your HomePod or HomePod mini until the update has finished installing. Apple regularly improves its HomePod and HomePod mini speakers over time through over-the-air software updates. 4K resolution, factory-calibrated colors, a 27-inch panel, an ergonomic stand that can be adjusted easily, and more. I’ve largely relied on Amazon Echo speakers in my home precisely because the range of HomeKit-compatible devices is still small. Tap on the icon that looks like three dots in the upper right corner. The update adds support for multi-voice recognition for up to six users in India and Italy. Following the release of betas for iOS 17, macOS Sonoma, and watchOS 10, Apple is also rolling out the first beta of tvOS 17 to developers. As much as Apple has improved the HomePod mini over time, certain elements are just as frustrating as they were three years ago. The update is compatible with Apple TV HD (4th generation) and Apple TV 4K (all models). New York, NY 10036. Here's how to get the latest and greatest. Before you ask: Amazon’s Echo already has a temperature sensor, but it’s good to see this functionality spread to other platforms. They aren’t tied to one mobile platform, however, and they have rich smart home ecosystems even without Matter playing a part. Most notably, HomePod 16.3 will activate the temperature and humidity sensor in the HomePod mini for measuring the climate of the room. But they do hint at a long-promised smart home experience that's both hands-free and works away in the background to both control your home and help reduce bills. NY 10036. HomePods just aren’t as alluring in mixed-platform households. Tap the ‘Home icon’ and then tap on ‘Home Settings’. He has authored numerous online articles covering a range of topics including Apple, privacy, and security. 360-degree audio. One of the Apple HomePod 2's biggest new features is some built-in temperature and humidity sensors, which the company says can prompt the speaker to automatically close blinds or turn on smart fans. The market hasn’t stood still, however. While it was a much better value than the original HomePod, it still had some of the same limitations of its bigger sibling. Tippe oder klicke auf die Mehr-Taste und dann auf "Einstellungen des Zuhauses" > "Softwareupdate". Jam-packed with innovation, HomePod mini delivers unexpectedly big sound for a speaker of its size. Readers. In the coming months, video conferencing apps such as Webex by Cisco and Zoom will become available on tvOS, allowing users to access their communication features on Apple TV 4K. You’re getting the same environment sensors and voice assistant features, and the sound is pleasing if you’re either a casual music listener or tend to listen to spoken-word content like podcasts and news radio. I can turn on my Hue lights every day at dusk, if I’m so inclined. As to how much time a HomePod mini or HomePod software update takes, it entirely depends on the total file size of the software update and your Wi-Fi speed. As Bloomberg reported in 2021, the speaker's smart home potential has just never been exploited – until now. With over ten years in the technology industry, one of them being at Apple, Joe now covers the company for the website. Most of the updates since launch have revolved around Apple TV support (such as playing a movie), Find My friend locations and compatibility with the cheaper Apple Music Voice Plan. Launch the ‘Home’ app on your Mac. You can adjust Siri’s volume or peg it to that of your voice, but there’s no Alexa-style whisper mode that responds in hushed tones. Nonetheless, it rules out the most popular streaming music service on the planet unless you’re willing to use AirPlay. Updating your HomePod or HomePod mini through your Mac is just as easy as doing it through your iPhone or iPad. Here, click the ‘Home icon’. Apple has significantly expanded the HomePod mini’s functionality. Launch the Home app on your iPhone or iPad. Apple says that tvOS 17 will be released for everyone this fall, while a public beta is expected to be released by July. With the intelligence of Siri, HomePod mini delivers a personalized and deeply integrated experience for iPhone customers. Dropping with the new iOS 12.2 update, Homepod software version 12.2 includes support for joining enterprise and university Wi-Fi 802.1x . ago Purple-Shoe7741 Even on beta the tv update came, but no HomePod. JavaScript is disabled. In addition to covering breaking news, Joe also writes editorials and reviews for a range of products. Other improvements are more subtle, but still welcome. Those new sensors will let you check the temperature and humidity in a room, but the more compelling potential is using them to automate aspects of your smart home. Nreal Air Review: It’s Cool But Could It Be the Future? Learn more here. Apple has announced a major update to the Apple Arcade catalog, adding 20 new games across a multitude of genres. I’m glad they’ve been paying more attention to it lately, though I still wish they would put the remote battery status in the new Control Center. 30 Apple may be lining up updates to the HomePod range, with a report claiming the full-size smart speaker will be returning in early 2023, while the HomePod mini will receive some form of. To wireless Rollo printer is the must-have gadget for anyone who frequently ships products — whether just to friends and family or operating a small business. You can learn more in the release notes below: HomePod and HomePod mini owners can now download the fourth developer beta of HomePod Software version 15.4. The problem, as you might guess, is that a roughly comparable sound isn’t a draw by itself. It features dual 4K displays, gesture tracking, an M2 chip, and a $3,499 price tag. The fifth developer beta of HomePod OS 16.1 is here. The 16.4 software and its overhauled Home architecture appear to have addressed these glitches in my month-long stint with the HomePod mini. February 22, 2022: HomePod Software 15.4 beta 4 now available. Hmm, that does sound cool. Monoprice is making portable refrigerators that can charge your devices on the go more affordable with its Pure Outdoors Emperor 25 model, undercutting the competition while striking a good balance between cost and features. Though Apple positively ignored the smart home in its most recent September event, it appears to be on the verge of delivering a significant software update for the HomePod and HomePod mini. It integration will allow users to view themselves on the screen while singing and apply enjoyable filters to enhance their experience. 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An iFixit teardown of the Homepod mini revealed that the speaker does indeed have the Texas Instruments-made sensors for measuring humidity and temperature. Here’s how it works. I didn’t intervene because I was doing other things. Brazilian tech Journalist. The Writer's Guild of America will be making its presence felt by Apple, with it continuing its strike action at Apple Park on Monday, the same day as Apple's WWDC keynote. audio features will land on HomePod devices. Having the same issue - I thought I had auto updates turned off but one of my Minis is now stuck on “downloading” all day. The update adds support for multi-voice recognition for up to six users in India and Italy. Having worked in tech journalism for a ludicrous 17 years, Mark is now attempting to break the world record for the number of camera bags hoarded by one person. You can use the sensors to automatically toggle smart home devices (such as closing blinds when it gets too hot), although I didn’t have equipment that would benefit from the feature. Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference will kick off in just a few hours, and, as is par for the course, there are a variety of different ways to tune in from afar. Meet Wordle Golf, Apple announces macOS Sonoma at WWDC 2023, Apple unleashes the M2 Ultra-powered Mac Studio at WWDC 2023, Apple just cut the price of the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air by $100, Apple M2 Ultra chip announced at WWDC 2023 as upgrade to Mac Studio and Mac Pro, Finished Ted Lasso? The HomePod mini design hasn't changed since launch apart from a wider choice of colors, like my test unit's orange. The ‌HomePod‌ 15.2 software adds support for the $4.99 per month Apple Music. However, the HomePod software update roughly takes 10 minutes to complete. Support for other platforms remains non-existent. He joined 9to5Mac to share even more tech news around the world. We noted in our smart speaker buying guide that the fourth-generation Echo and Nest Audio are both louder and punchier than the HomePod mini, although they pay for that with larger enclosures and less consistent sound across frequencies. Many a time, it helps me avoid pre-installed software bugs which have become part and parcel these days. Conor started life in journalism at Digital Spy as a technology reporter, covering everything from Tim Cook's hypnotic dancing to the latest phone launches, before moving to Wareable Media Group in 2017. Apple. Alternatively, you can tap ‘Update’ next to a specific HomePod to update just that particular speaker. Apple revived the HomePod in 2023 with a new large model that is now sold alongside the HomePod mini. November 5, 2020: HomePod software 14.2 now available . There may be a new HomePod speaker arriving next week, but existing HomePod owners aren’t getting the silent treatment. Significant_Ad_1999 • Thank you for this info! With tvOS 17, FaceTime comes to Apple TV 4K, so users – for the first time ever – can enjoy the popular app on their TV for even more engaging conversations with family and friends,” the company says. You can learn more in the release notes below: You still need an iPhone or iPad just to set up a HomePod mini, while the absences of Bluetooth audio and a line-in jack rule out even basic connectivity with non-Apple devices. In his free time, Joe enjoys video games, movies, photography, running, and basically everything outdoors. Here’s what to do. Great deals on consumer electronics delivered straight to your inbox, curated by Engadget’s editorial team. ○ HomePod vs: speaker comparison ○ Buy HomePod now ○ HomePod Beginner's Guide, Our news, reviews, opinions, and easy to follow guides can turn any iPhone owner into an Apple aficionado. Apple's watchOS 10 is getting a significant visual update, with most of the commonly accessed standard apps being redesigned — including the Weather app, Stocks, Messages, World Clock . The update is compatible with Apple TV HD (4th generation) and Apple TV 4K . To update your HomePod, go to the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, tap the three-dot menu in . It now has active temperature and humidity sensors, smoke and carbon monoxide alarm detection, access to third-party music services (however modest) and support for the Matter smart home standard. For those who use HomeKit Secure Video on their smart security cameras, the new update will also bring with it package detection, helping you quickly identify when a parcel is and is no longer at your door. Tap on ‘Software Update’ and enable the toggle next to ‘HomePod’. Despite being considered a "heavy" user, he has always preferred the consumer-focused products like the MacBook Air, iPad mini, and iPhone 13 mini. I've been going crazy trying to get it to pop on my HomePods all day high_covfefe 2 mo. To update your HomePod, go to the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, tap the three-dot menu in the top right, then Home Settings, and finally Software Update. Tap on ‘Update All’ to update all your HomePods at once. It may not display this or other websites correctly. While the HomePod isn’t as loud, it provides more consistent detail. And its two smart speakers, the HomePod 2 and HomePod mini, are a key part of that plan. It makes the most sense if you subscribe to Apple Music, and the proposition gets better the more Apple hardware you have. Google isn’t as egregious, but it frequently offers unwanted tips. Measuring around half the size of the original, it has a spherical design and computational audio for $99. A selection of quick iOS tips that will make you a lot more time-efficient in the long run. I love games made by Arkane Studios, with Dishonored becoming a title I revisit every now and then for its unique emergent gameplay. With HomePod 15, Siri will be able to control smart home devices at specific times (like turning off lights in 10 minutes, MacRumors say), with voice control also being extended to compatible HomeKit accessories. Alongside iOS 15.2, Apple today released a new 15.2 software update for the HomePod and the HomePod mini. 5x OG and 2x Mini. Öffne die Home-App. Throw in more flexible voice assistants, wider hardware variety (there’s no Apple equivalent to an Echo Dot or Nest Mini) and well-established ecosystems and they’re the safer choices. The current version is 15.6 beta 1. WWDC 2023: Everything You Can Expect to See! Stereo pair capable 3. That helps enterprise and education users access content in a more private manner. It’s easy to find complaints of unresponsiveness, broken commands and generally buggy behavior that can make it difficult to consistently control a smart home. Audio Visual Apple HomePod mini update will soon unlock its secret smart home powers By Mark Wilson published 18 January 2023 Untapped sensors will get their chance to shine soon (Image. And in a former life, he also won The Daily Telegraph's Young Sportswriter of the Year. 2” sparkles. Several new features are arriving for Apple’s existing HomePods in 16.3, including the HomePod mini’s temperature sensor. Software version 15.2 includes support for Apple Music Voice Plan, a new subscription tier designed to access music using Siri, and extends Siri voice recognition to new languages. It’s worth noting that a new beta of HomePod Software is also available, as HomePod runs a modified version of tvOS. It has many […], Automatically Update HomePod mini or HomePod on iPhone or iPad, Automatically Update HomePod mini or HomePod on Your Mac, How to Manually Install Software Updates for Your HomePod on iPhone or iPad, How to Manually Install Software Updates for Your HomePod on Mac. A considerable update appears set for the Apple HomePod and HomePod mini. But in Apple's official HomePod comparison page, the HomePod mini is also listed as having those exact same sensors, despite the fact that they've never been officially promoted as a feature. Apple's most powerful Mac will finally shift to Apple silicon. More. At the WWDC keynote, Apple made an official announcement about tvOS, the latest system for Apple TV, showcasing its new capabilities and enhancements. That’s why we thought a beginner’s guide about updating the Siri-enabled speaker would be worth covering. I have 6 minis in total and the first 5 updated normally with no issues. More. Scroll down to Software Update. Last night I asked HomePod to play In the Long Run by the Eagles. More details on how to get the beta update can be found on the Apple Developer website. But that was before he discovered the strange joys of getting up at 4am for a photo shoot in London's Square Mile. Apple Increases the Prices of HomePod mini and iMac in India, Apple Working on New HomePods and a Possible Smart Display: Report, Apple Could Introduce a New HomePod Next Year, Says Gurman. Here's how the specs differ from the existing 13-inch model. The second one took about 2 hours. 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You may also want to wait for more Matter-compatible devices if you’re going to use this speaker as the cornerstone of an elaborate smart home setup. A selection of macOS tips to make your Mac life a more effortless experience. iOS 11.3 iOS 11.4 iOS 12 iOS 12.1 iOS 12.1.1 iOS 12.1.3 iOS 12.2 iOS 12.3 iOS 12.4 iOS 13.2.1 iOS 13.3 iOS 13.3.1 13.4 13.4.5 13.4.6 13.4.8 14.1 14.2 The mini isn’t the loudest smart speaker in its class, and I typically set the volume to 50 percent or more if I want to listen from another room. Open the Home app. Alongside iOS 16.3, Apple has pushed HomePod software version 16.3 to all HomePod and HomePod mini devices and it includes way more than the usual “general performance and stability improvements.”. Readers like you help support Pocket-lint. While the app is incredibly full-featured, there are some big holes for pro workflows. He's still waiting for that to come back in style tbh. However, the speaker sometimes strains to handle the mids of dance tunes like Above & Beyond’s “Gratitude,” and sounds a bit hollow with rap like Run the Jewels’ “Close Your Eyes.” Updates like lossless audio support haven’t improved matters, either. Beginning in autumn, Apple TV 4K users will have the opportunity to utilize the newly introduced FaceTime app on their Apple TV. Both of the operating systems have the same build of the Release Candidate version of last week: 19J6346. 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Click on Software Update. 3 Siri also provides users a personal update for a quick snapshot of their day. © Versus Amazon and Google, it’s more complicated. HomePod and HomePod mini owners can now download the first developer beta of HomePod Software version 15.6. Ask HomePod users about their top gripe and they’ll probably point to basic reliability. The headline feature coming to the company's smaller smart speakers is the ability to set a single or pair as the default speaker for Apple TV 4K, meaning you won't have to manually bypass your TV's own speakers when you sit down to watch something. Make sure to keep your HomePod plugged in while it’s being updated. If the HomePod 16.3 update is available, tap Update and follow the prompts. Joe Wituschek is a Contributor at iMore. Note that software update also tells you if your HomePod is up to date already and shows which software version is installed. Previously at tv globo, the main TV broadcaster in Latin America. Just updated both of mine (mini and TV) to 16.3 in the last hour. His obsession with technology goes back to his first PC—the IBM Thinkpad with the lift-up keyboard for swapping out the drive. ○ HomePod review ○ HomePod: Everything you need to know! About Software Updates for HomePod Learn what's new in HomePod software updates. It installed in about 10 minutes so about 2 hours in total. New York, Siri is quicker and more reliable, as expected, and there haven’t been any glitches interacting with other smart home gear (including an Apple TV 4K). Later, if you ever happen to change your mind and wish to disable the automatic update for your HomePod, return to the same setting and then turn off the toggle for HomePod under the Automatic Updates section. Alternatively, select Home > Home Settings and choose Software Update. Once the update is finished, your HomePod or HomePod mini will be up-to-date. Launch the 'Home' app on your Mac. Nov 8, 2017 4,000 2,217 New York Dec 14, 2021 #1 Been almost 24 hours and it's stuck on downloading (15.2 update). Now, click on 'Home Settings'. That's a cool thing to try out. Here's how the specs and performance compare to the ninth-generation iPad. If you want to update your HomePod using your Mac, you can do that now with macOS Monterey. Here’s how. Set both up the same day. By making use of Continuity Camera support, FaceTime on Apple TV establishes a wireless connection with the user's iPhone or iPad. Here, select ‘Home Settings’. With the HomePod 2 delivering the exact same functions as the ones that Apple discussed internally around the launch of its little brother, Apple will now update the Homepod mini to work in line with its new wireless speaker. Fast-forward to 2023 and it’s a different story. The good news for HomePod mini owners is that, despite launching over two years ago, the speaker has secretly been harboring some smart home talents that will soon be unlocked. Siri can recognize the voices of up to six different household members, tailor music and podcasts to their preferences, and respond to personal requests. Amazon has improved both Echo speakers and Alexa in the years since, and Google’s Nest Audio has received upgrades like a guest mode. ○ HomePod Buyers Guide ○ What HomePod color should you buy? Is your iPhone screen black? Be sure to check out, Apple announces macOS Sonoma with aerial screensavers, Game Mode, and more, iPadOS 17 announced with interactive widgets, Lock Screen customization, more, Apple announces iOS 17 with Journal, Standby, FaceTime voicemail, more, Vision Pro: I just tried Apple’s first spatial computer, and here’s what I think, 9to5Mac Daily: June 05, 2023 – WWDC recap and Vision Pro hands-on live from Apple Park, Hands-on with the new 15-inch MacBook Air [Gallery], Apple Vision Pro: US-only at launch, some eye prescriptions not supported, age requirement, AR hardware preview.