During the unveiling of HomePod mini at Tuesday's Apple event, Apple introduced an upcoming new feature called Intercom that works across all Apple devices with the exception, it would seem, of Mac.
Intercom will enable family members to communicate with each other wherever they are in the home, with the ability to send and receive spoken messages via HomePod speakers. If a family member is in the garden or away from home, they can still use Intercom on their iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and even CarPlay. Apple explains:
A new Intercom feature offers a quick and easy way for family members to connect with each other at home. One person can send an Intercom message from one HomePod to another — whether in a different room, a specific zone, or multiple rooms throughout the home — and their voice will automatically play on the designated HomePod speaker. Intercom works with iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, and CarPlay, so everyone in the household can get Intercom notifications and send Intercom messages from the backyard or on their way home.
In the latest HomePod beta software, the setup process explains that users can say "Hey Siri, Intercom," followed by their message, and then choose which HomePods and/or personal devices the message should be sent to. Other options include "Hey Siri, tell everyone," and "Hey Siri, reply..." to respond to a message.
On personal devices, Intercom messages appear as notifications with the option to listen to the audio message. Users can also choose when Intercom notifications are delivered to their iPhone (Never / When I'm Home / Anywhere), and can select who can use Intercom via the Home app if they have remote access. Apple is also including an accessibility option that transcribes spoken messages on personal devices.
The Intercom feature will arrive in upcoming software updates, which are likely to roll out in step with the launch of HomePod mini on November 16.
This is definitely a first world problem but I wish they would allow a different word besides Siri. The word Siri just sounds so unpleasant to the ears in my language that I am sure this is one of the reasons Siri has never really picked up here. Siiiiiiiiri just ugh lol it sounds so unfriendly and robotic. Alexa sounds better cuz it makes you feel like you are talking to a person (positive) and not a robot (negative association)
From Wikipedia ... Siri is a Scandinavian female given name. It is a short form of Sigrid, of Old Norse origin, and literally meaning "beautiful victory", from Old Norse sigr (victory) and Old Norse fríðr (beautiful). The name Siri has been widely used since the Middle Ages, and is a common name in Norway, Sweden and the Faroe Islands.
This is definitely a first world problem but I wish they would allow a different word besides Siri. The word Siri just sounds so unpleasant to the ears in my language that I am sure this is one of the reasons Siri has never really picked up here. Siiiiiiiiri just ugh lol it sounds so unfriendly and robotic. Alexa sounds better cuz it makes you feel like you are talking to a person (positive) and not a robot (negative association)
After waiting for Siri for 30 seconds: Mom yells through the hall: "Dinner's ready!"
Actually what I really think will most likely happen is after 30 seconds you’ll hear mom screaming at the top of her lungs “hey Siri answer me goddamnit!” ....from the other side of the house.
Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:19 am PDT by Juli Clover
After releasing tvOS 15.1.1 for the Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K yesterday, Apple today introduced a new 15.1.1 software update designed for the HomePod.
According to Apple's release notes for the update, it addresses a problem that could cause podcasts to fail to play on the HomePod and HomePod mini.
HomePod software is installed automatically on the ...
Saturday January 8, 2022 11:21 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple has been testing Swedish language support for Siri on the HomePod mini for at least two months, according to Macradion, suggesting that the HomePod mini will be released in Sweden at some point this year.
In addition to Sweden, the HomePod mini will likely launch in at least four more countries in 2022, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and Russia, as the speaker gained...
Thursday October 14, 2021 2:44 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple has hired a new software lead for the HomePod team as part of an effort to better compete with smart home speakers from Amazon and Google, reports Bloomberg. The Syng Cell Alpha Afrooz Family, an audio engineer who worked at Apple from 2012 to 2016, has rejoined the company and is leading software development on the HomePod/Apple TV team. Family co-founded speaker company Syng alongside ...
Wednesday July 7, 2021 10:06 am PDT by Juli Clover
Original HomePod models appear to be mysteriously failing at an increasing rate, according to multiple MacRumors readers and complaints on Reddit and Twitter. Many of the HomePods that have suddenly stopped working were running the beta version of the HomePod 15 software, but some affected users had HomePods with the 14.6 software installed.
MacRumors reader Jose said that his 18-month-old...
Monday September 20, 2021 10:02 am PDT by Juli Clover
Alongside iOS 15, iPadOS 15, tvOS 15, and watchOS 8, Apple today released new software that's designed for the HomePod and the HomePod mini. The HomePod 15 software update introduces several new features that are designed to work in tandem with tvOS and iOS. - Select a single or pair of HomePod mini as the default speakers for your Apple TV 4K for rich room-filling sound and clear dialogue. ...
Apple today started taking orders for the HomePod mini in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland for the first time, as spotted by iCulture.
Apple said earlier this month that it would make the HomePod mini available to order in the above countries by the end of March, but never gave a specific release date. The speaker also gained support for languages spoken in those countries as part...
Apple's new Studio Display enables the "Hey Siri" voice command on several older Macs that previously did not support the feature.
For example, while "Hey Siri" normally requires a MacBook Pro released in 2018 or later, the feature can be used on 2016 and 2017 models of the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro while connected to a Studio Display. Likewise, while "Hey Siri" normally requires an...
Music streaming service Deezer has announced that voice control support for Apple HomePod and HomePod mini speakers is now available for Premium, HiFi, Family, and Student subscribers.
The update means all paying subscribers with iOS 14.3 and later and the latest software on HomePod can ask Siri to play any song from Deezer's global catalogue of 73 million tracks. Voice control also allows...
Apple has "started to record" its virtual September event, where it's expected to announce the upcoming iPhone 14 lineup, the Apple Watch Series 8, and a new "rugged" Apple Watch model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says the event, which is expected to take place in the early part of September, is already under production, implying...
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models are rumored to be available in a refreshed range of color options, including an all-new purple color. Most expectations about the iPhone 14 lineup's color options come from an unverified post on Chinese social media site Weibo earlier this year.
Overall, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro's selection of color options could look fairly similar to those of the ...
With the fifth beta of iOS 16, Apple has updated the battery icon on iPhones with Face ID to display the specific battery percentage rather than just a visual representation of battery level. The new battery indicator is available on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models, with the exception of the 5.4-inch iPhone 12/13 mini. It is also available on the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, XS and XS Max, and...
Apple this week brought back one of the most highly requested features from iOS users since the launch of the iPhone X in 2017: the ability to see your battery percentage directly in the status bar.
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Apple today seeded the fifth beta of iOS 16 to developers for testing purposes, introducing some small but notable changes to the iOS operating system.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up everything new in the fifth beta below.
Battery Percentage in Status Bar
The battery icon in the status bar now displays the exact battery percent, a feature that ...
The camera bump on the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro Max is expected to be the largest rear lens housing Apple has ever installed on its flagship smartphones, and a new photo offers a rare glimpse at just how prominent it is compared to Apple's predecessor device.
iPhone 14 Pro Max dummy (left) vs iPhone 13 Pro Max All iPhone 14 models are expected to see upgrades to the Ultra Wide camera on the...
While the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 are expected to be announced in September as usual, there are several more Apple products rumored to launch later this year, including new iPad and Mac models and more.
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Second-Generation AirPods Pro
Apple...
Top Rated Comments
Siri's reply: "Just a moment, I'm on it..."
After waiting for Siri for 30 seconds: Mom yells through the hall: "Dinner's ready!"
Hopefully it works much better than the Walkie-Talkie feature, which fails to work most of the time.