Apple Releases 14.1 Software for HomePod With Intercom and HomePod Mini Support

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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.

Apple HomePod mini iPad iPhone applewatch airpods intercom
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.

Related Roundups: HomePod, HomePod mini
Buyer's Guide: HomePod (Buy Now), HomePod Mini (Neutral)
Related Forum: HomePod, HomeKit, CarPlay, Home & Auto Technology

Top Rated Comments

DarwinOSX Avatar
DarwinOSX
38 months ago

Why don't they make a mode where the HomePod is the bass and the HomePod mini is the tweeter? Do people even know what basses and tweeters are anymore?
Newsflash....the HomePod has a bass driver and seven tweeters. On what planet would your suggestion make sense?


Apple software has a latency issue, and it is most apparent on AppleTV and Siri. The lag is shamefully bad, and none of their competitors are any near as bad.

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.
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.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Icaras Avatar
Icaras
38 months ago
Waiting for the ’Home Theater’ update...
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DarwinOSX Avatar
DarwinOSX
38 months ago

What happened to the 3rd party music support update for HomePod?! Also, why is it still not possible to send audio to HomePod over strictly Bluetooth, as an option?!
It's an API provided by Apple and the vendor has to write to it. Nothing stopping them. It's not Apple's job to do their development for them. They could have had one ready today when this version was released. So ask them.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
liberte1776 Avatar
liberte1776
38 months ago
What happened to the 3rd party music support update for HomePod?! Also, why is it still not possible to send audio to HomePod over strictly Bluetooth, as an option?!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BWhaler Avatar
BWhaler
38 months ago
Apple software has a latency issue, and it is most apparent on AppleTV and Siri. The lag is shamefully bad, and none of their competitors are any near as bad.

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.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jimjiminyjim Avatar
jimjiminyjim
38 months ago
One thing that I really appreciate about Apple of late is how long a product gets treated as "new." I know the bad side of this is that a product has a long life cycle and we all want the newest, latest, greatest, sooner... but the good side is that my new thing that is years old still feels like new. I love the support my old HomePod is getting!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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