Apple Releases 14.4 Software for HomePod With New U1 Features for Mini

Kylo83 said:
How did u get a plug in ur bathroom is it safe?
Click to expand...
All you need is the appropriate GFCI outlet.

www.amazon.com

Leviton GFCI Outlet, 15 Amp, Self Test, Non Tamper-Resistant with LED Indicator Light, Protection from Electric Shock and Electrocution, GFNT1-W, White

A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) is an important safety device which helps protect people from electric shock and electrocution due to hazardous ground-faults. Ground-faults occur when a current flows along an unintended path, such as through water or a person. For example: Operating ele...
www.amazon.com
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
JustinTG said:
I don’t understand this at all. This seems like a no brainer. There must be some kind of tactical thing that we’re not thinking of. If this were possible, I would buy at least two additional pairs. Especially with the big HomePods.
Click to expand...
All I can figure is that there are effectively two output channels in the MAC. One for the main Mac output and one for music. Apple Music works perfectly (poor Spotify does not have good enough programmers to use tis feature unfortunately) with the stereo pairs for HomePod (I only have 1 mini right now, but I'm sure it works as well). This actually makes some sense in that you can stream music at the same time as watching a video or making a meeting. But the rationalization ends there with a loud crash.
 
Kyle4 said:
I’ve been able to do the handoff/tap transfer feature with my iPhone XR since I got the HomePod Mini. I was certain this was an 11/12 feature only but it’s been working for me.
Click to expand...
its the haptic feature of the handoff. handoff works great to homepods and my HomePod mini with my X as well, but no haptic feel
 
MacRumors said:


Apple today released a new 14.4 software update for the HomePod, with the update coming over a month after the 14.3 software release that brought performance improvements and bug fixes.

HomePod-mini-iOS-14.4-feature.jpg

Today's update introduces new U1 Ultra Wide band functionality between the HomePod mini and devices that have a U1 chip like the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 models.
The update adds visual, audio, and haptic effects when songs are transferred from a ‌HomePod mini‌ to a U1-enabled iPhone 11 or ‌iPhone 12‌. When an ‌‌iPhone‌‌ is near the ‌‌HomePod mini‌‌ it begins a soft haptic touch rhythm that gets faster and faster as the ‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌ gets closer until the interface to transfer a song between the ‌‌‌HomePod mini‌‌‌ and the ‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌ opens.

homepod-mini-14-4-u1-chip.jpg

This functionality will make handoff quicker and more reliable on a ‌‌‌HomePod mini‌‌‌ and an ‌‌iPhone 11‌‌ or ‌‌iPhone 12‌‌, all of which are equipped with U1 chips that let the devices better understand where they are in relation to one another.

The update also adds personalized listening suggestions on iPhone when it is next to the HomePod mini and it causes media controls to automatically appear without having to unlock the iPhone when it is nearby the HomePod mini.

U1 chip functionality is unique to the HomePod mini and is not available on the standard HomePod because the HomePod does not have a U1 chip inside.

Article Link: Apple Releases 14.4 Software for HomePod With New U1 Features for Mini
Click to expand...
What I want is proximity based automation. Being on the same wifi network is useless for me in terms of automation. 10 feet, 6 feet, etc those are the measurements that will make this thing gold for me.
 
Not being able to use a Mac as an Airplay 2 target and not being able to use HomePods as a MacOS stereo output just seems spiteful at this point.
 
Kylo83 said:
No macos doesn’t allow airplay 2 as main output shocking it’s still not a thing
Click to expand...
also for some reason cant use the stereo pair if the devices arent on a wifi network. thought i was being clever by buying usb-c power bricks to use these on the go.

you can imagine my surprise when i was testing this and found this issue
 
They really need an option to set the audio playback and Siri voice volumes independently. I got 3 HomePod Minis a month ago and it's driving me nuts.

Also EQ that overrides EQ from the playback device would be nice. I play music from my iPhone to both the HomePods and various Sonos speakers. If I EQ for one, it totally messes up the other (personally I think the HomePods sound really muddy by default and would want to crank up the treble).
 
Seems a bit quirky - I started a song on my iPhone, handed it off to my HomePod mini and then transferred it back to my iPhone. When I then tapped Pause on my iPhone, it just kept playing on it but also restarted on my HomePod from the point in the song it had transferred back to the phone.

I've also found mine doesn't like to transfer either way if the full screen that automatically opens when you do a hand-off is still open from last time
 
Apple_Robert said:
All you need is the appropriate GFCI outlet.

www.amazon.com

Leviton GFCI Outlet, 15 Amp, Self Test, Non Tamper-Resistant with LED Indicator Light, Protection from Electric Shock and Electrocution, GFNT1-W, White

A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) is an important safety device which helps protect people from electric shock and electrocution due to hazardous ground-faults. Ground-faults occur when a current flows along an unintended path, such as through water or a person. For example: Operating ele...
www.amazon.com
Click to expand...
I’m in the U.K. all I have is shaver socket 2 pin 240v could I use that
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
NightFox said:
Seems a bit quirky - I started a song on my iPhone, handed it off to my HomePod mini and then transferred it back to my iPhone. When I then tapped Pause on my iPhone, it just kept playing on it but also restarted on my HomePod from the point in the song it had transferred back to the phone.

I've also found mine doesn't like to transfer either way if the full screen that automatically opens when you do a hand-off is still open from last time
Click to expand...
same its not great
 
Kylo83 said:
How did u get a plug in ur bathroom is it safe?
Click to expand...

I'm in the US with 110v power outlets. I have one on each side of the bathroom vanity, they are both GFCI outlets. Its very common in the US.

In countries with 220/240v power outlets this would be quite difficult to do safely.
 
Kylo83 said:
No macos doesn’t allow airplay 2 as main output shocking it’s still not a thing
Click to expand...
I really don’t understand AirPlay. I can see my single HomePod mini on my Mac on the sound icon on the menu bar. And it doesn’t play nicely, sound keeps dropping.
 
Would be cool if this finally makes paying from your Mac consistent. It will never connect, then I have to "trick it" by saying Hey Siri, then intercept what's playing by hitting play on my MBP again. Not great at connecting for sure...
 
imola.zhp said:
I'm in the US with 110v power outlets. I have one on each side of the bathroom vanity, they are both GFCI outlets. Its very common in the US.

In countries with 220/240v power outlets this would be quite difficult to do safely.
Click to expand...
Many countries allow them at 240V as long as you have an earth leakage circuit breaker installed monitoring the power points - usually at the switchboard, this turns off the power quickly if you are likely to get a shock. For example Australia this has been mandatory for decades, stops problems when you are drying your hair whilst in the bath...
 
imola.zhp said:
Have a homepod mini in my bathroom located on the right side of the sink/vanity.

House had 4 homepods playing music this morning, 2 mini's, 2 regulars all playing the same music.

My phone was laying on the left side of the sink/vanity, while brushing my teeth a notification came in. I picked up my phone with my left hand, unlocked it to view the notification. The app opened and shortly after that I got a notification that the music was being transferred from the homepod to the phone? Brushing with my right hand and viewing the phone with my left hand I did not swipe it away fast enough and all homepods stopped playing and the music started playing on my phone.

WTF?

So I tap the phone to the homepod and the music transfers back but only to that homepod, the other homepods in the house do not resume music. So I have to swipe down, going into control center to bring up the bathroom homepod and request that it play music on the other 3 homepods.

Awesome user experience Apple, so glad I have invested so heavily in your ecosystem.

/sarcasm
/rant
Click to expand...
Was this the old experience, or the new experience with the U1 chip? In my experience the new proximity interaction and platter interface should solve for this.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2786.PNG
    IMG_2786.PNG
    2 MB · Views: 72
Okay so before the update my handoff just wouldn’t work at all. I tap it, bring it close, nothing. Both transfer and handoff are on in settings. Updated both my 12 P M and my HopePod Mini, and now I can bring it close and it gives the haptics and shows controls consistently, but STILL doesn’t transfer music back and fourth when I tap it or bring it right up to the HomePod. I’ve tried updating, resetting both, nothing. anyone have the same issue and been able to fix it?
 
The biggest problem with handoff for me has always been the inconsistency of which device is sourcing the audio. Half the time it’s iPhone—>HopePod and plays through airplay (I prefer this method), and the other half it transfers and plays directly on the HomePod. The airplay handoff is very fast (within a second), but the complete handoff is really slow 10+ seconds, and sometimes it just gives up and never transfers.
I gave up on waiting for Apple to fix it and bought some NFC stickers and created handoff Siri Shortcuts. Much more reliable.
 
goodoldeej said:
Was this the old experience, or the new experience with the U1 chip? In my experience the new proximity interaction and platter interface should solve for this.
Click to expand...

I have an iPhone XS, my understanding is the XS does not have a U1 chip. Why would you thumbs down my real-world experience?

aussie-reader said:
Many countries allow them at 240V as long as you have an earth leakage circuit breaker installed monitoring the power points - usually at the switchboard, this turns off the power quickly if you are likely to get a shock. For example Australia this has been mandatory for decades, stops problems when you are drying your hair whilst in the bath...
Click to expand...

Did not know this, thanks for sharing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Back
Top