New HomePod and HomePod Mini Now Feature Temperature and Humidity Sensing [Updated]

[MacRumors]

The reintroduced HomePod offers a temperature and humidity sensor, but Apple is also enabling the feature on the existing HomePod mini.

The HomePod's built-in temperature and humidity sensor can measure indoor environments, allowing users to create automations that close the blinds or turn on a fan or heater automatically when a certain temperature is reached in a room, for example. This information is exposed in the Home app like any other smart home accessory.

As highlighted in the comparison section of the HomePod webpage, the HomePod mini also now offers this functionality. It appears that rather than being a new version of the HomePod mini, this is a retroactively activated feature, with the temperature and humidity sensor already existing inside all HomePod mini models since launch.

In 2021, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the HomePod mini includes a dormant temperature and humidity sensor – a finding also confirmed by iFixit. It seems that the component is now finally being activated, presumably via a future software update.

Apple notes that the HomePod's temperature and humidity sensing is optimized for indoor, domestic settings with ambient temperatures between 15ºC and 30ºC and relative humidity around 30 to 70 percent.

The sensor's accuracy may decrease in some situations where audio is playing for an extended period of time at high volume levels, likely due to generation of heat from the device itself. The HomePod also apparently requires some time to calibrate the sensors immediately after starting up before results are displayed.

Update: HomePod software version 16.3 enables the temperature and humidity sensor in the HomePod mini, according to Apple's release notes.

Article Link: New HomePod and HomePod Mini Now Feature Temperature and Humidity Sensing [Updated]

 

[BorisDG]

Wow a feature that was there, but disabled for years.

 

[1557750]

Finally!!! Everything I’ve ever wanted in a speaker.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Excellent! That's a great added feature!

 

[japanime]

Wow a feature that was there, but disabled for years.

Makes you wonder whether there are features in other devices that are also disabled. SMH.

 

[Kylo83]

How would it work I have a tado smart heating so when I say what’s the temp it says what the home temp is how can I ask just the room using the HomePod temp not the main thermostat

 

[icanhazmac]

Still can't find a use justification for HomePods.

Why would I want to pay premium-ish dollars for a "smart" speaker that could easily last 20 years when the "smarts" part could easily be useless within 5-10 years. Once Apple, or any other smart speaker manufacturer stops issuing software updates they can become useless, especially as HomePod has no aux input or bluetooth. Especially when I am never that far from my phone.

Edit: Might be wrong on the new one and bluetooth, waiting for verification. Even if you can BT it doesn't change my personal perception of these devices. I don't want or need to pay for a speaker to tell me things when I am almost never more than 10 feet away from my phone.

 

[1557750]

Makes you wonder whether there are features in other devices that are also disabled. SMH.

I’m sure there are plenty. They wouldn’t want to make things available before they’re 2-3 years outdated as far as where Apple is in tech. That’s not how you make money.

 

[ArrayDecay]

I'd like Siri to sing me the temperature and humidity, please.

 

[Bustycat]

Apple notes that the HomePod's temperature and humidity sensing is optimized for indoor, domestic settings with ambient temperatures between 15ºC and 30ºC and relative humidity around 30 to 70 percent.

So narrow for the global climates.

 

[Kylo83]

Maybe fix Siri first my HomePod minis never get anything right

 

[enterthemerdaverse]

hmm, wouldn't mind a temp and humidity sensor in my watch but the HomePod's one probably doesn't fit there.

 

[BorisDG]

We have them... at least the temp in S8, but yeah ...

 

[uller6]

This is great! Now I can finally get rid of my stupid eve temperature and humidity sensors. They’re awful, but too useful.

 

[GubbyMan]

Makes you wonder whether there are features in other devices that are also disabled. SMH.

We had the same thing happen with reverse wireless charging in iPhone 12. Rumors were right about the hardware but Apple didn’t use it until they introduced the Magsafe battery pack 9 months later. It’s still disabled for regular Qi charging though.

 

[MecPro]

They have pretty much done nothing to this in 3+ years.

 

[zubikov]

They have pretty much done nothing to this in 3+ years.

I disagree. Siri has gotten worse.

 

[Mrjynx]

What's the difference between old homepod vs new? temp sensors?

 

[frenchcamp49er]

When will this feature be activated?

 

[djcerla]

I disagree. Siri has gotten worse.

Nope.

 

[ismi]

As a new Homepod Mini owner, I also wonder about this. Also.. once enabled, where is this information shown? In the Home app?

 

[BorisDG]

It's said to be enabled soon with an update. I guess in the day when the Gen2 HomePod lauches.

 

[beanbaguk]

I disagree. Siri has gotten worse.

It's significantly better than Alexa.

 

[alexandr]

I would like to see fall detection on the HomePod.

 

[rm5]

It's significantly better than Alexa.

I'm done with voice assistants. They don't help me at all. I've disabled Siri on all of my Macs because I never use it anymore. Feel free to disagree to this post to your heart's desire.

But regardless, I suppose a temperature/humidity sensor is useful...