HomeKit Homepod homekit control flakey after 14.7 update

[abhi182]

I have a reasonably complex home automation setup with about 50+ nodes that are conrollable via homekit.
Everything used to work extremely well with practically no latency till the 14.7 update.

Unfortunately post the update, Siri on homepod either takes too long to execute a command (recognises command but keeps trying to execute it for several seconds ) or fails to complete it altogether,
What is curious is that using the same command (e.g. turn on garden lamp) on the Home app on the iphone/ipad works as well as expected.

This latency does not happen all the time but maybe 50% or more.

The only possible change that I have noticed is that the homekit hub seems to have switched to one of the homepods while it used to be one of the Apple TVs earlier (i see 6 possible bridges , 3 homepods and 3 ATVs, also curiously, I dont see ipads as standvy hubs any longer)

But again, the last time I went digging into the settings > hub list was a long time ago so this could be a red herring.

This is turning out to be a major issue as the earlier reliability of voice commands on homepods ensured that every person in the household has become way too used to it :|

 

[Itinj24]

I have nothing to add other than this nonsense seemingly gets worse with every update and it’s extremely frustrating.

 

[StumpyBloke]

Glad it’s not just me. Recently, so maybe since the latest update, everything I ask that Crap-fest to do something I get the response just a sec, on it or any other crap that it comes out with before (normally) performing the action. Whether it be my curtains or lights or socket

I’ve always been very vocal about my absolute hatred for Apple and Siri. With their genuinely unlimited resources it is mind-boggling and unacceptable that Siri is so completely and utterly crap. And as noted above, without question getting worse when it comes to reliability. Pathetic. Oh and to add, my Meross smart plugs have never been so unreliable as these last few months. Every single one of them at some point or other will say no response in the Home app and I have to power them down to get them to work again.

 

[abhi182]

Glad it’s not just me. Recently, so maybe since the latest update, everything I ask that Crap-fest to do something I get the response just a sec, on it or any other crap that it comes out with before (normally) performing the action. Whether it be my curtains or lights or socket

I’ve always been very vocal about my absolute hatred for Apple and Siri. With their genuinely unlimited resources it is mind-boggling and unacceptable that Siri is so completely and utterly crap. And as noted above, without question getting worse when it comes to reliability. Pathetic. Oh and to add, my Meross smart plugs have never been so unreliable as these last few months. Every single one of them at some point or other will say no response in the Home app and I have to power them down to get them to work again.

LOL

I have to admit though that Siri on home pod for home control, when it works, works significantly better, faster and more accurate than Alexa while Google home is the worst of the bunch.
I was using multiple Echos before switching over to Homepods - and wouldn't go back.

Having said that, Apple does need to give a little more TLC to the homepod dev teams.
Problems after updates are a lot more common on them even though would assume the likelihood to be lower given the relative simplicity of the devices.
e.g. proximity handoff which has never worked reliably for me

On the topic at hand, it seems I have been able to resolve it by:
a) Switching off all homepods
b) Waiting 5 minutes while trying to access home app from a phone disconnected from wifi (to emulate remote access)
c) Switching them back on once an Apple TV started showing as the designated hub

With the ATV as designated hub, things seem to be working fine as of now - not sure if it's because the ATVs are hard wired to gigabit CAT6 or if the homepod as home hub software stack is buggy at the moment.

I just hope it continues to remain this way- fingers crossed!

 

[Itinj24]

LOL

I have to admit though that Siri on home pod for home control, when it works, works significantly better, faster and more accurate than Alexa while Google home is the worst of the bunch.
I was using multiple Echos before switching over to Homepods - and wouldn't go back.

Having said that, Apple does need to give a little more TLC to the homepod dev teams.
Problems after updates are a lot more common on them even though would assume the likelihood to be lower given the relative simplicity of the devices.
e.g. proximity handoff which has never worked reliably for me

On the topic at hand, it seems I have been able to resolve it by:
a) Switching off all homepods
b) Waiting 5 minutes while trying to access home app from a phone disconnected from wifi (to emulate remote access)
c) Switching them back on once an Apple TV started showing as the designated hub

View attachment 1813723

With the ATV as designated hub, things seem to be working fine as of now - not sure if it's because the ATVs are hard wired to gigabit CAT6 or if the homepod as home hub software stack is buggy at the moment.

I just hope it continues to remain this way- fingers crossed!

FWIW, I always found that my ATV’s are more reliable as Hubs than the HomePods are, especially the ones hardwired to ethernet. Found the iPads to be horrible.

 

[sterumbelow]

Yep, I’m having the same issue.

Not every command is failing but one light in particular won’t turn on/off on the first “hey Siri”. It fails in various ways. I can even interrupt it and say exactly the same thing and then it turns on.

Works perfectly from my phone/iPad/Mac. Just the HomePod voice command that’s failing to work first time

 

[joscejrod]

Hi, I never had problems with homepod/homekit/accesories before but now When I ask siri (homepod) to turn on any light (philips hue) I’m reaching the same answer “you don’t have any accesory configured”. I can reach all the accesories and change their status in home app…

thanks in advance.

 

[Eric.chen3742]

No solutions here, but also adding my anecdote to the pile. Sometimes when I ask Siri to do something it will do so in a different room. Also “if” logic seems to be borked for some variables in HomeKit. For example I have a motion detector set to turn on the light when motion is detected but only if the light level is below a certain lux, the light always turns on now.

 

[waw74]

a hard reboot of the HomePod seems to clear up some of this weirdness.
I've had it happen a few times where it won't be able to control any devices, or only some devices, or completely forgets I have some devices, or forgets my shortcuts.

I'm not sure if it's wifi related or not, but poor wifi seems to make the issue worse, it's almost like a process will loose it's network connection, but doesn't realize it. (a router / wifi reboot at the same time can help also)

now if she just wouldn't go deaf every now and then, my favorite is when the only word of the command she hears is "lights". so she turns on every light that's currently off and turns off all the ones that are on. seems to only happen if it's been a while since I gave a command.