Though Apple has provided public betas for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac for years, it’s been a bit slower at together with a few of its different units. Nevertheless, this would be the yr it lastly brings the HomePod into the fold.
The Apple TV didn’t come to Apple’s public beta program till a yr after it opened, with tvOS 11 arriving in public beta in the summertime of 2017. The Apple Watch took even longer to affix the group, coming solely two years in the past with watchOS 7. Now, it seems to be like Apple is making ready to launch a public beta of iOS 16’s HomePod equal.
There’s by no means precisely been an official identify for Apple’s HomePod working system. Below the hood, it’s known as audioOS, however it is a purely inside identify utilized by Apple’s engineers. For some time, Apple known as it HomePod iOS, then HomePod OS, however today it’s simply “HomePod Software program.”
However, it’s a part of the identical household of working methods at its core. Apple’s unique full-sized HomePod started its life as a direct sibling of iOS earlier than quietly shifting to tvOS as a basis shortly earlier than the discharge of the primary HomePod mini.
No matter it’s known as, keen early adopters might quickly be capable to get their palms on a beta of the HomePod replace. Apple tipped its hat final week when a reference to HomePod software program model 16 appeared on Apple’s Beta Software program Program web page, and now the second beta of iOS 16 is giving us some hints about precisely how this can work.
In spite of everything, HomePod Software program is put in over the air by way of an iPhone. It’s not fully clear how one goes about telling a HomePod to simply accept a beta model of its software program relatively than in search of the following launch.
Whereas this can undoubtedly be by way of a beta profile, much like the way it works with the Apple Watch and the personal HomePod betas obtainable by way of the AppleSeed program, public beta testers with a number of HomePods might not need to threat putting in beta software program on all of them.
Luckily, it seems to be like Apple has included a strategy to deal with this in iOS 16 beta 2. The oldsters at 9to5Mac have found a hidden menu within the House app that permits you to select which audio system get the HomePod beta software program.
This menu will solely seem after you’ve put in a HomePod beta profile, so don’t hassle in search of it now. Even Apple builders don’t have entry to a HomePod beta but, so there’s no profile to obtain.
Nevertheless, as soon as Apple opens its public beta program for the HomePod, you’ll presumably be capable to obtain the beta profile and set up it utilizing your iPhone, after which a brand new HomePod Beta Updates menu will seem within the House app’s Software program Updates part — the identical place you go to search for new public releases of HomePod software program.
Tapping on this selection will present a listing of all of the HomePod mini audio system in your community, with a toggle swap beside each that can be utilized to determine whether or not it will get the beta.
Notably, any unique full-size HomePods in your community don’t seem on this listing. Whereas this might imply that HomePod software program 16 received’t be obtainable for the now-discontinued good speaker, it’s additionally attainable that Apple doesn’t need to threat folks bricking their audio system. A HomePod mini may be restored over USB-C from a Mac or PC; the unique HomePod doesn’t have this functionality.
In different phrases, if one thing goes unsuitable with the beta software program in your HomePod mini, you want solely plug it into your Mac, open Finder, and click on just a few buttons. If that occurs to a full-size HomePod, the perfect case is that you just’re caught with a semi-functional speaker till the following beta comes alongside, nevertheless it’s additionally attainable issues might get so much worse.
We don’t know but when the primary HomePod betas will arrive. iOS 16 is prone to enter public beta early subsequent month, however there’s no assure that the HomePod public beta will arrive on the identical time.