Latest HomePod Firmware Discovery Shares First UI Sounds of Apple's Smart Speaker

In the continued release of Apple news originating from developers digging through HomePod firmware, we now have some of the first user interface sounds that HomePod users could be hearing once the smart home speaker launches this December.

HomePod on shelf
Developer Avery Magnotti discovered the sounds within a file named "audioOS" of the HomePod firmware that Apple released this past weekend. In order of appearance in the file, the sounds are called:

alarm1.wav
Lighthouse.wav
SessionInactive-b238.wav
SetupFinal-b238.m4a
SetupStepSource-b238.m4a
SetupStepTarget-b238.m4a
timer1.wav
TwoShot-b238.wav
WOCAudioPasscodeTone.wav

To hear what the files sound like, Magnotti posted a video on his YouTube channel, sharing samples of each file listed. Alarm1 and Timer1 sound like simple tones that HomePod users might be able to choose from when setting up timers in their kitchens. The rest are a bit more unclear, although each Setup file is likely related to the initial pairing process of HomePod and a user's iPhone.


HomePod firmware-related reveals have been steadily rolling out since Saturday, revealing the general design of the iPhone 8, referencing a "split" status bar, including potential new Apple Watch skiing workouts, and more. Magnotti himself revealed yesterday that the HomePod's Siri display measures in at 272 x 340.

The reason that there are so many iPhone and Apple Watch bits of news coming out of the new HomePod firmware is because Apple's smart speaker will run on a modified version of iOS when it launches, and the firmware being investigated by developers relates to iOS 11.0.2. Apple announced the HomePod at WWDC this year, and it will launch this December for $349.

Related Roundup: HomePod
Buyer's Guide: HomePod (Neutral)

Popular Stories

Apple Creator Studio

Apple Introduces New 'Creator Studio' Bundle of Apps for $129 Per Year

Tuesday January 13, 2026 6:11 am PST by
Apple today introduced a new Apple Creator Studio bundle that offers access to six creative apps, as well as exclusive AI features and content, as part of a single subscription. In the U.S., pricing is set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year. Here are the six apps included with an Apple Creator Studio subscription:Final Cut Pro on the Mac and iPad Logic Pro on the Mac and iPad Pixelmator...
Verizon New

Verizon is Down: iPhones Show 'SOS' Mode Due to Network Outage [Resolved]

Wednesday January 14, 2026 10:18 am PST by
Verizon is experiencing a major outage across the U.S. today, with hundreds of thousands of customers reporting issues with the network on the website Downdetector. There are also complaints across Reddit and other social media platforms. iPhone users and others with Verizon service are generally unable to make phone calls, send text messages, or use data over 5G or LTE due to the outage....
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

New Leak Reveals iPhone 18 Pro Display Sizes, Under-Screen Face ID, and More

Wednesday January 14, 2026 7:09 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around eight months away, a leaker has shared some alleged details about the devices. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo this week, the account Digital Chat Station said the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will have the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes as the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Consistent with previous...
iOS 26

Here's What's New in iOS 26.3 So Far

Monday January 12, 2026 1:15 pm PST by
Apple today seeded the second beta of iOS 26.3, nearly a month after the first beta. So far, the update includes a couple of new features for iPhones. iOS 15.3 through iOS 18.3 were all released in late January over the years, so it is thereby likely that iOS 26.3 will be released towards the end of this month as well. The update is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer. Below,...
airpods pro 3 design

Apple Releases New AirPods Pro 3 Firmware Update

Tuesday January 13, 2026 11:29 am PST by
Apple today released a firmware update for the AirPods Pro 3. The latest firmware has a version number of 8B34, up from the previous version 8B30. Apple has a support document for AirPods firmware updates, and it indicates that the 8B34 update contains unspecified "bug fixes and other improvements." No other AirPods models received firmware updates today. How to install AirPods Pro...

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
110 months ago
Judging by the sounds alone, it seems Apple managed to make a cylindrical Wii.

Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michaelgtrusa Avatar
110 months ago
They sound nice to me.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
devsfan1830 Avatar
110 months ago
Stupid product... can't see the screen unless you are standing over it. What kind of an idiotic design is this?
Can't tell if you are being serious or not. There is no screen to look at. It's a speaker. The top is just fancy indicator light like what Google Home and Amazon Echo. Want to look at something? That is what your Phone/Watch/Tablet is for.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Vanilla35 Avatar
110 months ago
Sounds a little childish to me
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blcamp Avatar
110 months ago
I have to imagine a few high-ranking folks in Cupertino are super pissed about all this information flowing so freely.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Westside guy Avatar
110 months ago
Judging by the sounds alone, it seems Apple managed to make a cylindrical Wii.
Soon to be followed by the HomePod Balance Board and the HomePod Plus controller.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)