HomePod can be used as an alarm clock replacement to wake you up in the morning or remind you of something, and soon HomePod owners with an Apple Music subscription should be able to set alarms on the smart speaker that play their favorite songs instead of the default alarm sound.
Prior to the original HomePod's release, there were rumors suggesting users would be able to set songs as custom ringtones for the alarm feature of the HomePod, but that is not possible without resorting to automations. There is currently no option to change the default sound on the HomePod when setting up an alarm.
However, changes uncovered by MacRumors in the latest HomePod beta software reveal that Apple Music subscribers will soon be able to do just that.
The beta software includes a revised interface for adding alarms to HomePod in the Home app that provides a choice of playing a tone or media as the alarm sound.
As long as you have an active Apple Music subscription, tapping "Play Media" lets you choose a song from your music library. If you don't have a subscription you'll be prompted to get one, or revert to the default alarm tone.
Tuesday October 7, 2025 11:27 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, prior-generation AirPods Pro 2, and the AirPods 4 models. The firmware has a build number of 8A358, up from 8A356.
There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the prior 8A356 update added iOS 26 features to the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4 with ANC. The software introduced better audio quality ...
Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.1 and iPadOS 26.1, introducing useful changes to alarms, multitasking on the iPad, and more. There are also subtle tweaks to some of the Liquid Glass design elements as Apple continues to refine iOS 26.
Alarms and Timers
Alarms set using the Clock app now have a slide to stop button rather than a tap to stop button on the Lock Screen. To snooze an...
Apple is entering its most significant leadership transition in more than a decade as multiple senior executives prepare to depart and CEO Tim Cook begins to shape the company's next generation of leaders, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that Jeff Williams, who was viewed as Cook's potential successor for several...
Monday October 6, 2025 11:56 am PDT by Juli Clover
With the second beta of iOS 26.1, Apple updated the design of alarms set on the iPhone, making them harder to dismiss than before.
Stopping an alarm in iOS 26.1 beta 2 requires a new Slide to Stop gesture rather than a simple tap. You can continue to tap to snooze an alarm, but if you want to turn it off entirely, you need to use a swipe.
Transitioning from a tap to a slide gesture to...
Monday October 6, 2025 5:05 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
A new iPad mini is "absolutely" on the way, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released a year ago?
Processor and Performance
Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to information found in code that Apple mistakenly shared in...
TAG Heuer today announced the Connected Calibre E5 smartwatch, now featuring "Made for iPhone" certification as the watchmaker abandons Google's Wear OS.
Three years after launching the Calibre E4, the Connected Calibre E5 comes in two case sizes: 45mm and a new, more compact 40mm. They are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 5100+. The 45mm model features a 1.39-inch AMOLED display, while ...
Supplies of the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro model appear to be constrained amid rumors that an upgraded M5 model could launch as soon as this year.
As noted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, custom configurations of the M4 MacBook Pro model have a delayed shipping date and will not be delivered to customers until October 23 to 28. The restricted supply could be an indication that Apple is planning to...
Wednesday October 8, 2025 4:41 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple has quietly added a protective silicone ring to its in-store MagSafe charging stands following reports of marks appearing on some iPhone 17 series display models, according to Consomac.
The apparent move comes after Apple last month confirmed that worn MagSafe chargers in retail stores were causing what appeared to be scratches on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. There have...
Wednesday October 1, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, and Safari.
More features and changes will follow in future versions,...
Jesus, for the last couple of years I've been using a Samsung S10e after having iPhones (and iPads) since the 3G, this is the first time Apple has taken my interest again with the iPhone 12 Mini - looking through these kinds of stories makes me realise how restrictive the old "eco-system" is, for no good reason. I've been using any music I like as my alarm for two years. I updated my iPhone SE a couple of days ago and today already 35 little red icons annoying me needing updates. The famed user experience of Apple seems far more of an irritant once you've been away from it!
I know. It's good to take off the rose-tinted glasses occasionally and see things as they really are. The world's richest tech company still refers to Bluetooth as 'magic' - go figure! Every year they launch 'our best iPhone yet' - you'd hope so, as the tagline 'not as good as last year, but we gave it our best shot' isn't going to shift units. The sales patter gets crasser and more patronising each year as they throw superlatives at a product with ever-diminishing incrementals. I still like Apple gear - I just don't upgrade until my current stuff becomes unusable.
