Apple Releases 14.1 Software for HomePod With Intercom and HomePod Mini Support
Alongside iOS and iPadOS 14.1, Apple today released new 14.1 software for the HomePod, which includes a number of new updates such as support for the Intercom feature that allows you to speak to anyone in the home on iPhone, iPad, HomePod, and more.
The update also introduces support for the HomePod mini that's launching in November and it adds new Siri features. Siri is able to stop alarms, timers, and media across HomePod speakers, and web search requests from HomePod can be sent from HomePod to the iPhone.
There's also an option to add music to alarms to wake up to a favorite song or playlist from Apple Music, and there are multiple reliability improvements.
Software version 14.1 includes support for HomePod mini and new Siri and Intercom features. This update also includes bug fixes and improvements.
HomePod mini
- Setup and automatically transfer your Apple ID, Apple Music, Siri and Wi-Fi settings to HomePod mini
Siri
- Siri suggestions appear in Maps when you ask HomePod for information about a location
- Web search requests to HomePod can be sent from HomePod to your iPhone
- Siri can now stop alarms, timers, and media across HomePod speakers
- Voice recognition support for Podcasts for multiple users in the home
Intercom
- Ask HomePod to make announcements to other HomePod speakers throughout your home
- Intercom to all HomePod speakers
- Intercom to a HomePod in a specific room or zone
Other improvements and fixes
- Add music to your alarms and wake up to your personal song, playlist, or radio station from Apple Music
- Fixes an issue where stereo pairs can sometimes play out of sync
- Improves reliability when using Siri to control multiple speakers
- Optimizes Siri performance
HomePod software is installed automatically on the HomePod, but the HomePod can also be manually updated by following the instructions in our HomePod update how to.
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Top Rated Comments
I have 6 HomePods and never seen any lag at all in a 5200 sq ft house. Airplay 2 avoids this by providing a large buffer and streaming faster than real time, check your wifi. I also have Sonos, Alexa, and Google devices and Apple's response times beat the pants off of all of them.
The lag on Homepod makes for a crappy device. Did Siri hear me? Do I repeat myself? Or did it fail as is typical with Siri? If you have time to think these things before Siri responds, it’s way too slow.
I’m hoping the update fixes the latency issue on Homepod to make it usable.