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Apple Releases HomePod Software 15.4

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Alongside iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, and tvOS 15.4, Apple today released a new 15.4 update that's available for the HomePod and the HomePod mini. The 15.4 update is the fourth major HomePod software update since version 15 was released, and it comes more than a month after the launch of HomePod software 15.3.

homepod-feature-purple.jpg

The HomePod 15.4 software update brings support for captive WiFi networks, so that users can connect to a HomePod on a network that needs additional steps to sign in. Apple has also added a new Siri voice.

‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌HomePod‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ software is installed automatically on the ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌HomePod‌‌‌‌‌ unless the feature is disabled‌‌‌‌, but the ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌HomePod‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ can also be manually updated in the Home app by following the instructions in our HomePod‌‌ update how to.

Article Link: Apple Releases HomePod Software 15.4
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/03/14/apple-releases-homepod-software-15-4/
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Anyone else curious how long they are going to update this software? Fellow A8 devices iPhone 6/6 Plus stopped at iOS 12 but the TV HD & the HomePod are still chugging along.

I’m happy with the current abilities but welcome continued refinements so however long they can push it without ruining it, I’m ok with.
 
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Not bad, HP (HP just some yrs along..) mini is on sale from half of November 2020. 18 months to make captive WiFi networks available. Hey , there is someone who just works on sw there? Thank you!
 
StupidOpinion said:
homepod minis are already a joke to begin with. just sell it. it's not good. audio quality is bad
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If you bought it to listen to music, the sound is underwhelming (well, mine is sitting next to Sonos home theater gear so I never ask it to play music). But if you bought it to set timers and alarms, create appointments and reminders, send brief text messages, and control lights via HomeKit, it... mostly does that well. It'd be way better if it did those things 100% right, but I find it quite useful in its current form.
 
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_Spinn_ said:
So we can now take our HomePods with us to our hotel rooms? ?
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Yes, you can, but I think it'll find a lot more use on university/college campus residence hall ("dorm") networks ("ResNet" networks). And that means you can sell a whole lot of $99 devices to parents to give to their kids going away to college for the first time.

(Such networks generally have a required registration procedure to get on the network, and there's generally no other network available - yeah, back in the day, we had some kids' parents try to get the cable company to come install cable TV and networking - that didn't go over well.)
 
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mjs916 said:
Anyone else curious how long they are going to update this software? Fellow A8 devices iPhone 6/6 Plus stopped at iOS 12 but the TV HD & the HomePod are still chugging along. […]
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They moved away from iOS a while ago, so it shouldn’t be tied to silicon support. Point is, the HomePod firmware only needs to support two hardware models, and doesn’t carry around iOS support.
 
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I’m still having issues with audio being “unbalanced” with my original HomePods in a stereo pair. Tried a full reset a while back and still hasn’t resolved it.

15.4 seems to be the same so far. :(
 
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Why does Handing Off a phone call require you to confirm the switch? Yes, I want to switch it over to the HomePod, thats why I’m holding it close to the speaker. This confirmation is not required for music, just phone calls.
 
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I'm not sure exactly what people are expecting from a $100 speaker (though I'm sure I'll learn shortly), but it's been a runaway hit in our household.

Santa delivered one this past x-mas for my 8-yo daughter. She loves it. Every morning, she wakes and asks Siri the weather and then dresses accordingly. By default, she has become the household weather report. She is constantly playing music, that she chooses - building independence and developing her music tastes along the way. The other day, I walked into her room and she was painting to classical music. I hear her asking Siri what words mean or other queries. IDK, from my use case of one, it's already paid for itself several times over. It's been such a hit, I wouldn't be opposed to having a few others scattered around the house. I find the fidelity on par with other speakers in its class. While it's not live concert caliber, I have never once thought about a lacking fidelity when it's been playing. If anything, I've impressed with its sound, in her room for, its size.

Now one thing I would like to see Apple offer, is a wireless version. That, for me, would be an insta-buy.
 
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lazyrighteye said:
Now one thing I would like to see Apple offer, is a wireless version. That, for me, would be an insta-buy.
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They're already WiFi, I'm actually a bit annoyed they don't have provision for ethernet. If you mean battery powered, (a), you can already use them with a battery pack, and (b), if they built in any sort of useful battery, the size would grow considerably.
 
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I haven't done the update yet but I just finished listening to some music on my original HomePods. I'm still impressed at how good they sound. I set them up as the sound system in my bedroom for playing music and audio out on my Apple TV. Added three Phillips hue lights for ambience to complete the system. The whole thing makes watching movies in bed with my pets all that more enjoyable. I have a second home theater in my family room but at my age I often fall asleep watching anything at night so I end up watching in bed.
 
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CarlJ said:
They're already WiFi, I'm actually a bit annoyed they don't have provision for ethernet. If you mean battery powered, (a), you can already use them with a battery pack, and (b), if they built in any sort of useful battery, the size would grow considerably.
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Ha. Yeah, I meant battery powered.
 
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AppleHeadPhx said:
Why does Handing Off a phone call require you to confirm the switch? Yes, I want to switch it over to the HomePod, thats why I’m holding it close to the speaker. This confirmation is not required for music, just phone calls.
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I'm guessing because calls could be handed off on accident. Imagine being in the living room on a sofa with a HomePod next to you on a stand. A call comes in and randomly transfers over to the HomePod after you answer on your phone because you were close to the HomePod.
 
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CarlJ said:
They're already WiFi, I'm actually a bit annoyed they don't have provision for ethernet. If you mean battery powered, (a), you can already use them with a battery pack, and (b), if they built in any sort of useful battery, the size would grow considerably.
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Ooo, do you have a battery that’ll work? Every other USB-C charger I try it with gives an error (even a 100w Apple MacBook compatible one!) as Apple really wants the HomePod mini to only use the 20w charger it comes with.
 
iOS 15.0 knackered my original HomePod causing constant loud pops and speaker being unusable until a restart. iOS 15.3 finally fixed it but still being very temperamental so fingers crossed 15.4 brings it back to normal!
 
greg8799 said:
iOS 15.0 knackered my original HomePod causing constant loud pops and speaker being unusable until a restart. iOS 15.3 finally fixed it but still being very temperamental so fingers crossed 15.4 brings it back to normal!
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at random times my homepods will make a small pop sound when they're off. i wonder if this is fixed as well
 
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Black Magic said:
I'm guessing because calls could be handed off on accident. Imagine being in the living room on a sofa with a HomePod next to you on a stand. A call comes in and randomly transfers over to the HomePod after you answer on your phone because you were close to the HomePod.
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I agree with what you are saying, but it doesn’t do that with music, you have to be really close to it for it to transfer music over. And with the U1 chip doesn’t that help determine how close it is to the speaker? Thanks
 
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