HomePod software updates brings new features to every model

AppleInsider said:

Apple may have announced the second-generation HomePod today, but there's plenty of new features coming to existing models with software version 16.3 soon.

The HomePod mini and new HomePod have built-in temperature and humidity sensors that'll be activated by the update. Users with multiple HomePods across their home will be able to see the current temperature and humidity of each room within the Apple Home app.

Apple has remastered the ambient sounds to be more immersive on HomePod. They're also discoverable when building automations or setting alarms in the Home app.

It will be nice to have these additional sensors in the Home App. I will have to find a new use for my Eve Room in the Bedroom now. Also, I will likely have to change the room that my Eve Weather shows in in the Home App. I have it outside the Kitchen window and always ask Siri, “What is the temperature in the Kitchen”. With 16.3 there might be some confusion due to my HP mini in the Kitchen.  I’ll just place the Eve Weather in the Garage room in the Home App when this goes live I guess.

I can’t tell you how much I have been looking forward to having the ambiance sounds being available for automations.  I have a goodnight scene that plays white noise from the iPad on the night table.  The best I have been able to do is play a playlist from Apple Sleep, but there are gaps and big volume differences between the tracks. The ambient sounds are really well done and offer endless, seamless playback which is ideal for sleeping.

mbenz1962 said:

AppleInsider said:

Apple may have announced the second-generation HomePod today, but there's plenty of new features coming to existing models with software version 16.3 soon.

The HomePod mini and new HomePod have built-in temperature and humidity sensors that'll be activated by the update. Users with multiple HomePods across their home will be able to see the current temperature and humidity of each room within the Apple Home app.

Apple has remastered the ambient sounds to be more immersive on HomePod. They're also discoverable when building automations or setting alarms in the Home app.

It will be nice to have these additional sensors in the Home App. I will have to find a new use for my Eve Room in the Bedroom now. Also, I will likely have to change the room that my Eve Weather shows in in the Home App. I have it outside the Kitchen window and always ask Siri, “What is the temperature in the Kitchen”. With 16.3 there might be some confusion due to my HP mini in the Kitchen.  I’ll just place the Eve Weather in the Garage room in the Home App when this goes live I guess.

I can’t tell you how much I have been looking forward to having the ambiance sounds being available for automations.  I have a goodnight scene that plays white noise from the iPad on the night table.  The best I have been able to do is play a playlist from Apple Sleep, but there are gaps and big volume differences between the tracks. The ambient sounds are really well done and offer endless, seamless playback which is ideal for sleeping.

Is this the new stealth quid pro quo from Apple...?   Always on listening...?  Check your settings for 'Siri - learn from this app'... Even if one turns Siri 'off'...

I can tell you as a life long audiophile I will stick with analogue tech that focusses on the physics of sound, still works after half a century without a single 'upgrade' and can be repaired by any independent electronic expert...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-0gNUw3QNM

... and in a compact format I recommend the legacy analogue Kloss design by Tivoli Audio ...

... and in a portable the Libratone Classic with dual ribbon tweeters for hybrid stereo from a single speaker, and while largely app dependent there is an analogue external input jack, notably and conspicuously absent in (many/most) Apple products - is tethering of listening the 'price' of Apple now ...?

SpiPod 2.0 ... ?

It will be nice to have these additional sensors in the Home App. I will have to find a new use for my Eve Room in the Bedroom now. Also, I will likely have to change the room that my Eve Weather shows in in the Home App. I have it outside the Kitchen window and always ask Siri, “What is the temperature in the Kitchen”. With 16.3 there might be some confusion due to my HP mini in the Kitchen.  I’ll just place the Eve Weather in the Garage room in the Home App when this goes live I guess.

Any outdoor HK accessories I have in a room called "outside". I'd think for an outdoor weather sensor, that'd make more sense than just sticking it in any random HK room...

Would have been great if they could be used as Bluetooth speakers! The sync issues with video are ridiculous over WiFi. What a waste.

Wow, and I’ve had a few Eve sensors sitting in my Amazon cart waiting for me to pull the trigger… That is so cool! I forgot about the supposed hidden temperature and humidity sensors from the Mini launch a few years ago! I’ve got 5x of these suckers total across 3x floors! *Clears out Amazon cart haha