Apple Releases Updated HomePod Software With Bug Fixes

It’s weird Apple only sells this (niche) product in a handful of countries. It’s clearly not related to languages supported by Siri.

Maybe Siri’s inability to understand songs and artists in another than the set language? Still, it’s a strange strategy. Similar to selling the ATV for years with Siri Remote disabled in many regions.

 

Really happy the Siri not responding/reboot issue is solved. Absolutely have had both of these problems on all three of my HomePods.

 

I've been having Siri tell me that the iOS device associated with the Homepod isn't on the local wifi network (even though it is) when I try to place a phone call. Anyone else experience this one?

 

Finally! Siri has randomly stopped listening to me until I reboot the HomePod for weeks now!

 

Still not updated the very first update because everyone complaining about the sound change. Can anyone confirm this?

 

Not updating my HomePod from the stock firmware it shipped with (11.2.5), dont care if it lacks AirPlay 2:
https://appleinsider.com/articles/1...ners-say-firmware-update-alters-sound-quality

Ended up exchanging after doing OTA on my other, because I like the sound signature of the way it came

 

It sounds great to me. However the complaint by some was about a decrease in bass and I use a standalone subwoofer connected with the newest generation AirPort Express. AirPlay 2 keeps the sub and my stereo paired HomePods perfectly in sync. It’s an awesome setup.

 

They just need to allow users to tune it. If there's one place where subjectivity and snake oil come into play it's sound quality.

Seriously it's too bad that Apple can't sell multi-hundred dollar power cables for HomePod.

 

I hope Kleenex has thought about taking advantage of all these creepy sex toy looking data vacuums by creating a Kleenex box that hides the “pods,” “silos,” and recent “home beads” I saw the other day from Amazon. It wasn’t long ago that people were coming up with ways to hide the Kleenex box itself. How times change m, right?

P.S.: Please tell me you don’t have your pitchforks and tiki torches ready for the day when the entire world is “Shocked!” that “audio logs” from their “most personal intimate moments” were stolen by Chinese hackers? You know that’s coming, right?

 

Hopefully this fixes the issue I've been having with my HomePods dropping out of their stereo pair and me having to factory reset them to fix it.

 

Really wonder if there actually was a change in the sound signature. Never realized one, yet you can provoke a different sound with every recalibration inside your rooms.

Besides, everybody not having paired his HomePods will be blown away once hearing the difference.

 

It was immediate for me, I would be able to hear it in a blind A-B test: the bass was more anemic (the most disappointing), the soundstage less holographic, mid-range a little cleaner as a plus, but electronic (my preferred genre) less syrup-y and energetic in general.

Not sure if any of my descriptors make sense, but it does to me and my ears

If you pair them, I'm sure the effect is diminished.. maybe they tuned it to be more for pairing? Who knows. I only wanted one HomePod for my apt.

Enough people take issue with it, that I suspect its not just me. But not every one can hear or tell the difference. Or even have the original fw as a reference point.

The 'loud' spectacle-filled sound is what drew me to HomePod in the first place! Almost a physics-defying sound signature.

 

Get yourself a second one, especially with the current discounts. Do the update, pair them and enjoy. The sound will be better, else you waste nearly all sound potential in terms of surround sound. Ended up with 5 of them, meaning nearly every room now has two of them, all also are combined to a big zone. Love it, for me the HomePod and HomeKit is Apple’s biggest rollout since the iPhone, saying that coming from a PowerPC era.

Just shared my experience, yet I got your description and purpose of acquisition.

 

I'm having a hard time picturing how you have this setup. How do you connect a subwoofer to AirPort? Can you sketch it out and upload a diagram and what subwoofer you are using? Thanks

 

Im sure paired speakers is great, but my interest was in one alone from the start.

They arent really on sale anymore and I didnt want to make it a $400 endeavor. I'm good with my solo boomy one for $200 for my uses.

 

How do you do it? Ok the Mac/iTunes I know it works this way. I’m less sure if it is possible to do that on iOS, though. Thanks!

--- Post Merged, Jan 22, 2019 ---

How do you do it? Ok the Mac/iTunes I know it works this way. I’m less sure if it is possible to do that on iOS, though. Thanks!

 

I agree they totally killed the sound profile. It was incredible when it shipped. Now? Just flat. I use Airfoil by Rogue Amoeba to get the quality back to what it should be. At a minimum, Apple should let people tune it with an EQ like you used to be able to do -- the iTunes EQ doesn't change the sound profile on the HomePod anymore. Confounding.

 

It’s really easy. Go from the audio out port on the AirPort Express to the sub. I am using a 3.5mm cable from the AirPort to a 3.5mm to RCA adapter, which plugs into the RCA port on the sub. Then I just select both the HomePods and the subwoofer as the playback devices with AirPlay 2, whether that’s in my phone or my Apple TV or whatever.

The sub is only capable of outputting low frequencies so there isn’t much adjustment that needs to be made. I manually adjusted the low-pass filter on my sub to my liking but that was all the tweaking I did.

 

I like this update.

Airplay seems to connect from iphone to homepods much quicker than before.

 

No issues with the update......

Now if only the AirPods would receive an update.....what have they had, one update since launch?

 

After the update it’s not playing “Apple Music” tracks. Seems to play my purchased tracks. Any suggestions?

 

Thanks. Much clearer now. I have a regular airport base station which doesn't have an audio output plug. Oh well. I'm happy for you though!

 

Before Apple released a software update a few months ago for the newest Expresses that brought AirPlay 2 support you could get them used on eBay for $20-$30 bucks. Since the software update the prices have more than doubled. If it’s something you’re interested in though it might be worth the investment.

 

why? We don't need updates just for the sake of an update. There have been 2 updates since launch.