HomePod and HomePod Mini Gain Support for Swedish and Norwegian

[MacRumors]

Apple on Wednesday released software version 15.6 for the HomePod and HomePod mini. While not mentioned in the release notes, the update adds support for Siri in Swedish and Norwegian on the HomePod and HomePod mini.

The addition of Swedish and Norwegian support likely means the HomePod mini will be released in Sweden and Norway over the coming months. Apple released the HomePod mini in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland in late March after rolling out support for Siri in Dutch and various languages spoken in Switzerland.

Apple has also been testing Siri in Danish and Finnish with select HomePod mini users in recent months, so the HomePod mini may launch in Denmark and Finland eventually. However, Danish and Finnish are not listed as supported languages yet.

To change the language of a HomePod or HomePod mini, open the Home app on the iPhone, long press on the white card for the desired HomePod, scroll down and tap on the settings gear icon, tap on Language, and choose a language from the list.

Launched in November 2020, the HomePod mini is currently sold in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Taiwan, China, Austria, Ireland, New Zealand, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Apple discontinued the full-size HomePod in March 2021.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1550079789104615425

Article Link: HomePod and HomePod Mini Gain Support for Swedish and Norwegian

 

[SteveJobs2.0]

Everyone pictures the guy from the IKEA ads.

 

[peteyD]

Adding decent English support would be nice.

 

[Lioness~]

So a few years later....should I consider this?
Nah!
1: I don't like to talk to Siri, she's a dumbhead.
2: I also have 4 great computer speakers connected to Airport Expresses, so for music and sound in 2 rooms I am all good.
3: When I see a benefit with it, I'll reconsider it.

 

[RamGuy]

Funny how iOS 16 Developer BETA3 on my HomePods don't have support for Norwegian. Have to wait for BETA4, or iOS 16 GM even I suppose.

 

[RamGuy]

Yet no support for Swedish or Norwegian on tvOS 15.6?

 

[Richu]

Everyone pictures the guy from the IKEA ads.

Or Spotify, H&M, Skype, Candy crush, Minecraft, Volvo, lifesum, or all the music from max Martins studio gang, etc. etc.

 

[patent10021]

Many are waiting for the new and improved big papa.

 

[BorreBoy]

Danish please please please 🙏🏻

 

[steevn]

Wish they would gain reliability support.

 

[Keymaster]

Well, this means asking it for Swedish recipes should be more interesting.

 

[darngooddesign]

Seems like a natural fit. Getting useful answers from Siri was always like talking to him.

 

[Aston441]

Damnit you reminded me Homepod exists again. Sigh.

 

[Morgenland]

Both the Swedes and the Finns are mostly joyful and grateful people. Since no one here gives thanks, I suspect that these cultures give MR a wide berth. Maybe because MR sometimes is a home to contempt, resentment and cheap jokes.

Just a thought.

 

[Cybbe]

Danish please please please 🙏🏻

Even Danes can’t understand Danish, do you seriously expect Siri to?

 

[breather]

Äntligen!!

 

[SpringKid]

Bought one today because of this. The HomePod mini really picks up hej Siri so much better (than my phone and iPad), even across the room without me having to yell at her.

 

[Peepo]

Do they gain support for ability to disable being use as a HomeKit hub?

 

[hagar]

Weird they mention Japanese and Chinese in the release notes, but not Swedish and Norwegian. Are the developers not talking with the communications department?

 

[ipedro]

I love how Apple has just carried on as if HomePod hadn't been discontinued. Maybe Tim can just forget he cancelled it too.

Apple's discontinued products get more updates than some brands' currently shipping products.

 

[RamGuy]

I love how Apple has just carried on as if HomePod hadn't been discontinued. Maybe Tim can just forget he cancelled it too.

Apple's discontinued products get more updates than some brands' currently shipping products.

I think you are confusing end-of-sales (discontinued) and end-of-support (vintage). There are tons of Apple products that go end-of-sale (discontinued) that get updates for years after the product is no longer being produced and sold.

The HomePod "Fatboy" as I like to call mine was solid directly by Apple all until the end of March 2021. Customers should expect this product to be like pretty much any other Apple product that gets software support and updates for at least 3-5 years. Shouldn't expect it to go on any end-of-support/vintage list until 2024 at the earliest.

HomePod "Fatboy" features an Apple A8 SoC, while the HomePod mini features an Apple S5 SoC. Apple A8 is a dual-core 1.5GHz SoC running the older Typhoon architecture, the Apple S5 is a dual-core dual-score 1.6Hz SoC running Tempest architecture (same as Apple A12) and both are featuring the same 1GB LPDDR4 RAM.

There really is no reason why the original HomePod should not get the same software updates as the HomePod mini as they share more or less the same performance characteristics and run the same operating system. Apple should more or less be able to just develop audioOS with the HomePod mini in mind and dump the same software directly onto the original HomePod without having to do anything with the code.

The pitfall of the original HomePod is the lack of Thread support and U1 UWB chip. If Apple starts to provide a lot of features that rely on Thread and/or UWB they might not care to keep backporting a version for the original HomePod without these features. So far audioOS updates have pretty much just been about providing support for lossless Apple Music, updates to AirPlay and Siri, general bug fixes and security updates. No reason why these kinds of updates shouldn't release for the original HomePod as well regardless of it no longer being sold.


It would also be terrible precedence for Apple to set. Why should customers have confidence in Apple supporting smart speakers if they drop them dead in the water in terms of software updates as soon as they stop producing and selling a specific model? The whole reason to opt for smart speakers are because of their software ecosystem which should continue on for ages after they are bought.

 

[svish]

Good that more languages are supported.

 

[fredrik9]

A few years behind Google but suddenly Homepod became a lot more interesting.

But as far as I understand, they still don’t sell it in Sweden? 🤦‍♂️

 

[Cesar Battistini]

Come to Brazil! My family wants one but they can't speak English fluently.

 

[SpringKid]

A few years behind Google but suddenly Homepod became a lot more interesting.

But as far as I understand, they still don’t sell it in Sweden? 🤦‍♂️

Apple don't, but other stores do, so they are not really hard to come by anyway.