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iOS and iPadOS 16.2 Betas Overhaul Home App Architecture With Improved Performance
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Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that once you have an iOS device running the beta you get a toggle in the Home app to enable the beta on your HomePods.
Home App > Home Settings > Software Update > HomePod Beta Updates
That is correct.
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Same. I'm on iOS 16.2 but when I try to upgrade Home it says unable to check for updates.
Yes I’ve done this on my Mac, iPhone and iPad and all get me to the same point.
It fails to upgrade due to no update being available for HomePod.
“
Cannot Complete Update
An error occurred while updating
HomePod software.”
The iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1 betas introduce a new Home app architecture upgrade, which can be installed to upgrade performance. The architecture overhaul follows the addition of the Matter smart home standard in iOS 16.1 and iPadOS 16.1.
Apple ahead of the launch of iOS 16 promised a new architecture for the Home app, and said that it would be a separate update. Apple says that it brings faster, more reliable performance, especially for smart homes with a lot of smart accessories installed. Users will be able to communicate with and control connected accessories more efficiently from multiple devices at the same time with the Home app.
Updating the Home app architecture will require all Apple devices that access the home to be using the latest software, and those that aren't updated will not be able to access the HomeKit setup through the Home app. To install the architecture update, users will need to have a device running iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, or macOS Ventura 13.1, as well as the HomePod 16.2 software, which is available in a beta capacity to a limited number of testers.
Article Link: iOS and iPadOS 16.2 Betas Overhaul Home App Architecture With Improved Performance
Hey Apple Engineers, when I am sitting in my kitchen with my 16.1 iPad Pro reading MacRumors articles and listening to my OG HomePods paired which are sitting 10 feet away…when I say “Hey Siri, volume 18…”. Please set the volume to 18 on the HomePods that are actually *playing* music instead of setting the volume level to 18 on my iPad which isn’t currently playing music…FFS!!! This is 1st grade stuff right?!?
I worked with Apple on this and during setup when your iPhone transfers over the settings it will also transfer over network information. That's why I mentioned that it would be nice to select the wifi network at either setup if your iPhone has more than one you want to transfer over. Excluding devices would be better, but after the conversation I had with Tier 2 support earlier this year it didn't sound like that was part of the plan at the time. Here's hoping that changes. I even asked if we couldn't get to select the network at configuration, could we be able to disable/enable homes within settings like one can with an AppleTV. Also if you have two homes in the Home App all HomePod/HomePod minis will show in both homes regardless of the location and that is where the headache is created, because as you mentioned the software automatically determines which hub is best for use. So maybe I'm conflating it a little, but Tier 2 did state that the network information that transfers over had an impact. Yea, sometimes I will see the different network message and try to change it, but if the HomePod wants to keep attempting to the weaker network that the MAC address is blocked, you won't get that message. Just get that dumb response of I'm having trouble connecting to the internet, yet the better wifi is ~5' away and the transferring of settings knows this but yet can't handle this hiccup.
I get Apple wanted to make and keep it easy, but there is no real reason all HomePods/HomePod minis should be listed as hubs for two homes using two different networks considering you set the location and room. There are options to address this issue and granted I'm sure not a lot of people are experiencing such an issue, but it is a headache at times.
I get Apple wanted to make and keep it easy, but there is no real reason all HomePods/HomePod minis should be listed as hubs for two homes using two different networks considering you set the location and room. There are options to address this issue and granted I'm sure not a lot of people are experiencing such an issue, but it is a headache at times.
Homebridge is fantastic product that overcomes a glaring shortcoming in Apple products making lots and lots of Apple customers happy…
So yeah, Apple’s totally gonna break it.
Yup, can't get around it. Tried removing all devices from the home, even. Literally nothing in the home: won't work. Added them back one by one, didn't work.
Managed to get everything updated and upgraded and it seems as if Homebridge still works, though unfortunately I had to hard reset my (officially certified) HomeKit electric heaters as they managed to end up in a reboot loop. Hoping nobody else has issues with devices themselves.
I'm in the AppleSeed program. Updated two OGs and two Minis, but the other two OGs don't even show up as an option to install the beta profile, so I can't upgrade as I have no clue how to get those two OGs on the beta. Ah well, I guess everything happens for a reason.
Edit: well who knew (I didn't) you have to be physically close to the HomePod to install a profile on it.
Edit: well who knew (I didn't) you have to be physically close to the HomePod to install a profile on it.
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I'm still in the process of updating all my devices to 16.2 on my slow internet connection, but my understanding is that I won't be able to upgrade Home App because I've got a HomePod mini in my system. Given that Homekit dynamically re-allocates which device serves as the hub, if I simply turn off the HPm is that likely to allow Home to update (I have Apple TVs that can then serve as the Hub), or will it still know that the HPm is part of my Home infrastructure and therefore needs to be updated too?
If you remove that HomePod from your account by resetting it through the home app and also double checking in iCloud devices that it has been removed, then turn it off you should be good to go.
A question to anyone who’s successfully updated the HomeKit architecture. What’s the performance increase like? Is it very noticeable and worth doing? Sadly I can’t update because I regularly use the home.app on a 2014 5k iMac that’s not Ventura compatible
Why do you think a HomePod mini wouldn’t work with it? It does, it just needs 16.2 like everything else.
Yes, but like most people, I'm not able to install 16.2 on my HomePod mini at this time. Given some of the problems I've had with Home since 16.0 was released, I'm eager to try out the Home update now rather than wait for the HPm update to become available. Once it does, I'll just re-add it.
You don't have to update the iCloud architecture. I skipped that for the same reason you mentioned. Also, I do not run beta on my HomePods or AppleTVs, so it would cause serious issues in my setup.