Apple Releases New 13.4.6 Software for HomePod

[MacRumors]

Alongside iOS and iPadOS 13.5.1, Apple today released new 13.4.6 software for the HomePod. According to Apple's release notes, the update includes general improvements for stability and quality.

The new HomePod software comes a little over a week after Apple released the HomePod 13.4.5 software, also with minor improvements.

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

Article Link: Apple Releases New 13.4.6 Software for HomePod

 

[BF1M]

$20.00 says it still can't tell the difference between me and my wife.

 

[SDJim]

Hopefully this fixes the sort of creepy tendency for it to occasionally call out random navigation directions in response to a simple request...

 

[Mick-Mac]

I'll only ever be interested in this product when it allows me to use Siri to play my lifetime of accumulated ripped CDs. Being forced into a paid subscription for Apple Music for my wife (computer illiterate) or I to listen to my own music is a total showstopper.

 

[jonblatho]

I'll only ever be interested in this product when it allows me to use Siri to play my lifetime of accumulated ripped CDs. Being forced into a paid subscription for Apple Music for my wife (computer illiterate) or I to listen to my own music is a total showstopper.

Wouldn’t the substantially cheaper iTunes Match work for that? Otherwise, I don’t know how you intend to get music from ripped CDs onto the thing, especially if it requires a substantial amount of storage.

 

[Mick-Mac]

Wouldn’t the substantially cheaper iTunes Match work for that? Otherwise, I don’t know how you intend to get music from ripped CDs onto the thing, especially if it requires a substantial amount of storage.

I never considered that the music would need to be stored locally on the HomePod, I just assumed I'd say "Hey Siri, play Coldplay" and it would simply do so via local streaming. Maybe I'd have to nominate my laptop as the primary music source beforehand, but it wouldn't be rocket science. The cynic in me says this is just another money grab.

 

[tom.humphrey]

The cynic in me says you’re hijacking a thread about a software update.

 

[Squuiid]

I never considered that the music would need to be stored locally on the HomePod, I just assumed I'd say "Hey Siri, play Coldplay" and it would simply do so via local streaming. Maybe I'd have to nominate my laptop as the primary music source beforehand, but it wouldn't be rocket science. The cynic in me says this is just another money grab.

Just get an iTunes Match subscription, cheap, and it will allow you to play all on any Apple device, your HomePod included.
I use it and it works well to do what you're after. Sure, you won't get lossless, yet, but I think one day that will come too.

 

[whyamihere]

$20.00 says it still can't tell the difference between me and my wife.

Yup. I can't even get mine to learn who she is. Siri knows who I am when I ask, but when my gf asks Siri she has no idea who she is. I've done absolutely everything Apple suggests multiple times with zero success.

 

[diego.caraballo]

$20.00 says it still can't tell the difference between me and my wife.

Yup. I can't even get mine to learn who she is. Siri knows who I am when I ask, but when my gf asks Siri she has no idea who she is. I've done absolutely everything Apple suggests multiple times with zero success.

I had a lot of trouble making this to work. Of course I read hundreds of posts and tutorials. Also multiple HomePod resets, remove and add to Home, creating a new home, getting a new wife...However the thing that instantly solved all my issues was to turn on Siri on iPhone Settings > Your name > iCloud > Siri (Home and Keychain should be ticked too, but this are discussed on every tutorial). Siri should be allowed to access iCloud on both devices (yours and yours wife's).
After that, if isn't working yet, do the retraining Siri part for both and you are done.

 

[darkslide29]

I had a lot of trouble making this to work. Of course I read hundreds of posts and tutorials. Also multiple HomePod resets, remove and add to Home, creating a new home, getting a new wife...However the thing that instantly solved all my issues was to turn on Siri on iPhone Settings > Your name > iCloud > Siri (Home and Keychain should be ticked too, but this are discussed on every tutorial). Siri should be allowed to access iCloud on both devices (yours and yours wife's).
After that, if isn't working yet, do the retraining Siri part for both and you are done.

I've had trouble as well, and this sounds like it could be the fix. Thanks.

 

[Mick-Mac]

The cynic in me says you’re hijacking a thread about a software update.

and you'd be right. Sorry about that.

 

[Iconoclysm]

I'll only ever be interested in this product when it allows me to use Siri to play my lifetime of accumulated ripped CDs. Being forced into a paid subscription for Apple Music for my wife (computer illiterate) or I to listen to my own music is a total showstopper.

iTunes Match, it's been around for like a decade now. How have you missed this? https://www.imore.com/how-homepod-w...ud-music-library-airplay-and-flac-files#match
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I never considered that the music would need to be stored locally on the HomePod, I just assumed I'd say "Hey Siri, play Coldplay" and it would simply do so via local streaming. Maybe I'd have to nominate my laptop as the primary music source beforehand, but it wouldn't be rocket science. The cynic in me says this is just another money grab.

I would guess that the local streaming option would prevent the HomePod from finding and sorting easily, as it can do with the cloud. But you can still use this as an airplay device.

 

[puckhead193]

Wonder if this fixes my issues when I ask for the weather....and it says "you need to continue on your iPhone...BUT if I ask for the weather in my town it works fine...
Thanks...

 

[BF1M]

I had a lot of trouble making this to work. Of course I read hundreds of posts and tutorials. Also multiple HomePod resets, remove and add to Home, creating a new home, getting a new wife...However the thing that instantly solved all my issues was to turn on Siri on iPhone Settings > Your name > iCloud > Siri (Home and Keychain should be ticked too, but this are discussed on every tutorial). Siri should be allowed to access iCloud on both devices (yours and yours wife's).
After that, if isn't working yet, do the retraining Siri part for both and you are done.

I appreciate that but you name it, I’ve done it. It can recognize us half of the time maybe. Sometimes I’m her, she’s me, it doesn’t have any idea who either of us.


Well to be fair I haven’t tried a new wife. I mean I’ll run it past her, maybe some sort of sharing arrangement, but my hopes aren’t high.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Hopefully this fixes the sort of creepy tendency for it to occasionally call out random navigation directions in response to a simple request...

mom hoping it stops my HomePod from saying “mm-hmm” at 3-4AM when I’m randomly watchinng TV or nothing else in my apartment is on. It’s kinda dealing me out since I know there is a ghost in my unit (2 night terrors already in 4yrs).

 

[somethingelsefl]

I honestly forgot Apple makes this product until it comes up occasionally on MR.

 

[citysnaps]

I honestly forgot Apple makes this product until it comes up occasionally on MR.

That has never happened here. Bought my first HomePod on release day 2+ years ago, and currently have four. Listen to them all every day, and considering a 5th. They're superb.

 

[ErikGrim]

Yup. I can't even get mine to learn who she is. Siri knows who I am when I ask, but when my gf asks Siri she has no idea who she is. I've done absolutely everything Apple suggests multiple times with zero success.

Adding to this choir. It’s made my gf absolutely hate Siri as she can’t add anything to the shopping list anymore.

 

[steve62388]

Just get an iTunes Match subscription, cheap, and it will allow you to play all on any Apple device, your HomePod included.
I use it and it works well to do what you're after. Sure, you won't get lossless, yet, but I think one day that will come too.

I have Match and I’m interested in a Homepod, but I won’t be getting Music.

What features will I be missing out on? eg can I ask Siri to play my own Smart playlists? Can I ask for a particular album, artist or song? Can I manipulate playlists? Can I ask to ‘play more songs like this’? Will it play uploaded tracks?

 

[D3ggy]

Mine is still on 13.4.5 not seeing the update to 13.4.6 even on a manual refresh

 

[Tod F]

$20.00 says it still can't tell the difference between me and my wife.

yeah what is with that? For us it’s my wife and daughter. Apple tech told my wife she needs to“talk to it more” so it will recognize her?! It won’t perform any secure requests for her even though we have verification turned OFF. Anyone else?
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I had a lot of trouble making this to work. Of course I read hundreds of posts and tutorials. Also multiple HomePod resets, remove and add to Home, creating a new home, getting a new wife...However the thing that instantly solved all my issues was to turn on Siri on iPhone Settings > Your name > iCloud > Siri (Home and Keychain should be ticked too, but this are discussed on every tutorial). Siri should be allowed to access iCloud on both devices (yours and yours wife's).
After that, if isn't working yet, do the retraining Siri part for both and you are done.

sorry to tell you, for us at least, it wasn’t this simple and was already selected. We’ve been round and round with Apple support who walked us through an hour of troubleshooting and took logs from her phone. They’re aware of the problem and “working on it”.

haven’t tried the “new wife” you listed, but Apple’s assertion this is because “she doesn’t talk enough” is a pretty solid reason to keep her. Guess I’ll be the one telling the HomePod to lock the door from here.

 

[gcmexico]

I had a lot of trouble making this to work. Of course I read hundreds of posts and tutorials. Also multiple HomePod resets, remove and add to Home, creating a new home, getting a new wife...However the thing that instantly solved all my issues was to turn on Siri on iPhone Settings > Your name > iCloud > Siri (Home and Keychain should be ticked too, but this are discussed on every tutorial). Siri should be allowed to access iCloud on both devices (yours and yours wife's).
After that, if isn't working yet, do the retraining Siri part for both and you are done.

no problem whatsoever with different voices, Siri knows all my family...there are hiccups here and there, but very few

 

[whyamihere]

However the thing that instantly solved all my issues was to turn on Siri on iPhone Settings > Your name > iCloud > Siri (Home and Keychain should be ticked too, but this are discussed on every tutorial). Siri should be allowed to access iCloud on both devices (yours and yours wife's).

Thanks for the tips. Just checked both mine and her phones... Siri was already on for all those items on both phones.

Every once in a while I get an itch to try everything from scratch again. To no success. Ultimate definition of insanity I suppose. Oh well, maybe someday the fates will allow.

 

[petermagee]

I am getting the blinking +/- since 3 days now. I cannot reset (either manually turning off and on again waiting for the red dot and three beeps or using the Home App). Nothing works. Is there any possible fix? I can only assume that this has happened due to one of the recent software updates. Which if true means I have a very expensive brick thanks to Apple. That is pathetic. I fear the only way to try and resolve this is having to waste half a day going to the nearest Apple Shop and arguing with them that my homepod did not jump off the shelf in the middle of the night and self-destruct.