The Sound Recognition feature that is built into the latest version of the HomePod and the HomePod mini is now able to detect the beeping of a smoke alarm, sending you an alert if there is an emergency situation.
Announced when the new HomePod debuted in January, the Sound Recognition option is available as of today, according to TechCrunch. It can detect both activated smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, sending a notification to an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch.
If you're at home, you're going to hear a smoke alarm go off, but if you're away, it is a useful feature to ensure that you're alerted as soon as possible when smoke or carbon monoxide is detected. Some smoke detectors are smart and are able to send alerts, but for those who have standard hardware, the HomePod offers peace of mind.
Smoke alarm Sound Recognition can be set up using the Home app on an Apple device. HomeKit setups that incorporate a camera will be able to send a video along with the alert so that you can see at a glance what might be wrong and react accordingly.
Sound Recognition is done through the HomePod or HomePod mini and the alert is sent from device to device, with no involvement of Apple's cloud servers.
, tap Home Settings, then tap Safety & Security.
