Apple’s public beta software program is currently available on HomePod minis. However, it is the first time Apple has seeded a public beta of the HomePod software.
The new HomePod Software 16 is obtainable in Apple’s public beta software schedule for the first time, and you can download it today.
Nevertheless, at its June WWDC event, Apple didn’t disclose any new features coming to the HomePods with the software update, so it’s presumably all about under-the-hood stuff.
Any updates are likely focused on rehearsals for coming to the Matter brilliant home standard — due to come this fall — and support for Apple’s all-new Home app in iOS 16. The HomePod mini is a junction for Apple’s HomeKit smart home ecosystem with the Apple TV.
A hub will be needed for using Matter intelligent home accessories in HomeKit. So you presumably only want to share this a whirl if you are endeavoring out the public beta software of the Home app in iOS 16.
Installing HOMEPOD Software 16 Public Beta
You can select which of your HomePod minis run the public beta in a new settings screen in the Home app. Currently, the public beta is only available on HomePod mini speakers. We don’t comprehend if Apple’s discontinued full-sized HomePod will be updated to 16. To get the software update on your mini, follow these steps:
- Sign up for Apple’s beta program, or sign in if you’re an existing member.
- Once signed in, click on the Enroll Your Devices tab in the menu.
- Click HomePod Software in the inventory of software betas.
- If you haven’t experienced beta yet, you will need to enroll your iPad or iPhone and run the iOS 16 Public Beta on one of these devices.
- Once you have the public beta on your iOS device, go to the Home app, tap the Home icon in the top left corner, go to Home Settings, scroll down, and tap Software Update.
- Enroll in the HomePod mini you want on the beta program (you can choose several if you have more than one).
- The HomePod mini will update to the latest beta.
- Toggle on Automatic Updates to install the latest beta software as it rolls out.
It is a beta software program, and you may run into bugs or issues. You can download the Apple Feedback Assistant app to submit any problems. You can also restore your HomePod mini to factory settings using a USB-C cable and a Mac or PC if you no longer want to participate.
The HomePod has a rounded, cylindrical shape and has a small touchscreen on its top. It has seven tweeters in its base, a four-inch woofer towards the top, and six microphones used for voice control and acoustic optimization. The system-on-a-chip is the Apple A8, which Apple previously included in the Apple TV HD, iPod touch (6th generation), iPad mini 4, and iPhone 6/6 Plus.
Siri can control the speaker and other HomeKit devices and conduct text messaging and voice calls from an iPhone. The HomePod mainly supports Apple’s platforms and technologies, including Apple Music, iTunes Store purchases and Match, iTunes podcasts, Beats 1 radio, and AirPlay. At the same time, an iOS 11 device is required for the initial setup.
HomePod can serve as a sound bar within a home entertainment system when selected through an Apple TV. However, the HomePod does not officially support audio-in from Bluetooth sources. Andrew Faden has developed a ” BabelPod ” solution to allow line in and Bluetooth input to the HomePod through a Raspberry Pi.
AirPlay 2 and multi-room, multi-speaker support were announced in February 2018 and released in September 2018 in iOS 12 along with additional features such as multiple named timers, Siri shortcuts, the ability to make, Find my iPhone, receive, and screen phone calls directly on the HomePod, and the ability to search for songs using the lyrics. In addition, HomePod initially lacked support for allowing multiple users to use the device, but multi-user support was eventually added with iOS 13.2.
The 13.4 software update, released in March 2020, updated the OS from an iOS code base to a tvOS-based system. As a result, greenhouse gas emissions for production, expected use, and recycling for the HomePod are estimated at 146 kg CO2e.
The HomePod received mixed reviews. The review from The Verge praised the HomePod’s automatic acoustic calibration system. However, it felt that it sounded “noticeably richer and fuller” than competitors such as the Sonos One and Google Home Max. On the other hand, the review from Ars Technica stated that the sound quality of the HomePod was “pretty good, rich and full for its size, better than the Sonos One but probably not $150 better, a galaxy ahead of the Echo.”