This is the first time Apple has put the HomePod software into public beta.
You can download the new HomePod Software 16 today through Apple’s public beta software program. This is the first time that it has been made available to the public. But at the WWDC event in June, Apple didn’t talk about any new features that would be added to the HomePods with the software update. This suggests that the update is mostly for things that happen behind the scenes.
In fact, it’s likely that any updates will be focused on getting ready for the Matter smart home standard, which will be released this fall and adding support for Apple’s brand-new Home app, which will be released with iOS 16. Along with the Apple TV, the HomePod mini is a hub for Apple’s HomeKit smart home system. Matter smart home accessories will need a hub in order to work with HomeKit. So you probably only want to try this if you are testing the Home app in iOS 16’s public beta software.
At the moment, you can only get the public beta on HomePod mini speakers. We don’t know yet if Apple’s full-sized HomePod, which has been discontinued, will be updated to 16. Follow these steps to get the update for your mini:
Sign up for Apple’s beta program, or if you’re already a member, sign in.
Click the Enroll Your Devices tab in the menu bar after you’ve signed in.
Click HomePod Software in the list of beta versions of software.
If you haven’t already joined the beta, you’ll need to sign up for your iPad or iPhone and have the iOS 16 Public Beta running on one of these devices. (You can’t get the HomePod Software 16 if you don’t have an iOS device with iOS 16 on it.)
Once the public beta is on your iOS device, go to the Home app, tap the Home icon in the top left corner, go to Home Settings, scroll down, and tap Software Update.
Sign up for the beta program for the HomePod mini you want (you can choose several if you have more than one).
The latest beta will be added to the HomePod mini.
To get the latest beta software as it comes out, turn on Automatic Updates on the screen before this one.
This is beta software, so you might run into bugs or other problems. You can send Apple any problems you find by downloading the Apple Feedback Assistant app. If you don’t want to take part, you can also use a USB-C cable and a Mac or PC to return your HomePod mini to its factory settings.
