A new HomePod speaker may arrive next week, but existing HomePod owners won’t get the silent treatment. In addition to iOS 16.3, Apple has pushed HomePod software version 16.3 to all HomePod and HomePod mini devices and includes much more than the usual “general performance and stability improvements”.
In fact, since version 14.1, which added intercom and several new Siri features, the HomePod hasn’t gotten so many new features in one update. Notably, HomePod 16.3 will activate the temperature and humidity sensor in the HomePod mini to measure the climate in the room. The sleeping sensor was discovered in the HomePod mini during teardown, but it took Apple more than two years to act on it.
In addition, the update includes the following new features:
- Remastered ambient sounds are more immersive and can now be added to scenes, automations and alarms in the Home app.
- With Find My on HomePod, you can now ask Siri for the location of friends and family, if they’ve shared it with you.
- Recurring home automations can be set up with just your voice.
- Siri confirmation tone is now played to indicate when smart home requests have been completed for accessories that may not visibly show a change or are in a different room.
- Audio tuning optimizes spoken content such as podcasts for even greater clarity on HomePod (2nd generation) and HomePod (1st generation).
- Updated volume controls on HomePod (1st generation) give you more granular adjustments at lower volumes.
The HomePod update rolled out on Tuesday, but it may take a while to reach all devices. To update your HomePod, go to the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, then tap Home Settingsand finally Software update. Tap if the HomePod 16.3 update is available To update and follow the directions. Once the update begins, a white spinning light will appear on top of your HomePod or HomePod mini until the update is installed.
