HomePod 15.1 Beta Adds Lossless Audio and Dolby Atmos Support - MacRumors
Skip to Content

HomePod 15.1 Beta Adds Lossless Audio and Dolby Atmos Support

Alongside the iOS 15.1 beta, Apple has also introduced a HomePod 15.1 beta that brings Lossless and Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio support to the ‌HomePod‌ and the HomePod mini.

HomePodandMini feature green
The ‌HomePod‌ beta software is invite only and is not provided to developers for testing purposes, but 9to5Mac was able to confirm that Lossless and Spatial Audio support are included in the beta.

Apple added Dolby Atmos with Spatial Audio and Lossless support to iOS and Mac devices in May, but promised that the feature would be coming to the ‌HomePod‌ and ‌HomePod mini‌ at a later time.

Lossless Audio and Dolby Atmos can be enabled through the Home app. Open up Home Settings, tap on your profile, and then under Media, tap on Apple Music. From there, toggle on Lossless Audio and Dolby Atmos. Note that these options appear in the iOS 15.1 beta, but the ‌HomePod‌ 15.1 beta seems to be needed to actually use the features on the ‌HomePod‌.

If all goes well, these features should launch with the ‌HomePod‌ 15.1 software that is set to be released alongside iOS 15.1. Since the iOS 15.1 was just provided to developers today, we likely have several weeks of testing to go.

Related Roundups: HomePod, HomePod mini

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple's Next Era Begins September 1

Thursday May 7, 2026 10:36 am PDT by
Apple recently announced that Tim Cook will be stepping down as CEO later this year, after 15 years of leading the company. Effective September 1, Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus will become the company's next CEO, while Cook will become executive chairman of Apple's board of directors. In his new role, Apple said Cook will assist with "certain aspects" of the company,...
Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching in September With These 10 New Features

Saturday May 9, 2026 6:03 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not launching until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component will be moved under the...
Apple Watch Series 10 Jet Black Touch ID

Apple Watch Series 12 and watchOS 27: What to Expect Later This Year

Friday May 8, 2026 2:07 pm PDT by
While not too much has been reported about the next Apple Watch models, there are a few rumors about potential design changes and watchOS 27 features. Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 models are expected to be released in September, and we have outlined some of the key rumored hardware and software changes below. A new Apple Watch SE is not expected this year, as that model was...

Top Rated Comments

61 months ago

I'm a little surprised that the HomePod continues to be sold and get software updates. I'd think Apple would get the hint.

I feel like Tim Cook's legacy should be remembered as being Siri. She was introduced at the first keynote where Tim lead, and despite the constant evidence that she needed massive improvements, he never did and instead just kept shoving her into more places she wasn't wanted.

Maybe Tim's successor will kill Siri as their first action. Then the HomePod.

It'll be like how Steve started his second run as CEO - he just axed all the stupid distractions that Apple had on their plate and focused on the core things that Apple should do right.

If you're going to sell a product at all, make it GREAT. And if it's not great, don't bother. HomePod and Siri are both things that should never have left R&D at Apple. The Apple Watch... has potential. Apple just keeps missing the mark. It feels like they need somebody new in-charge of the Apple Watch to bring it from OK to GREAT.
I have seven HomePods; four originals organized as two stereo pairs - one pair in my living room and another pair in my woodshop, a single original in my wife's studio, and two HomePod Minis.

All are superb producing music and taking Siri commands- I have zero complaints with any of them. Hat-tip to Tim Cook for developing them!
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
61 months ago

I'm a little surprised that the HomePod continues to be sold and get software updates. I'd think Apple would get the hint.

I feel like Tim Cook's legacy should be remembered as being Siri. She was introduced at the first keynote where Tim lead, and despite the constant evidence that she needed massive improvements, he never did and instead just kept shoving her into more places she wasn't wanted.

Maybe Tim's successor will kill Siri as their first action. Then the HomePod.

It'll be like how Steve started his second run as CEO - he just axed all the stupid distractions that Apple had on their plate and focused on the core things that Apple should do right.

If you're going to sell a product at all, make it GREAT. And if it's not great, don't bother. HomePod and Siri are both things that should never have left R&D at Apple. The Apple Watch... has potential. Apple just keeps missing the mark. It feels like they need somebody new in-charge of the Apple Watch to bring it from OK to GREAT.
HomePod was discontinued months ago. Shame as it's a quality product. I've got two and they sound mint.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
61 months ago

No point showing us pictures of a product that Apple no longer sells.
The point of the picture is not to sell HomePods. It's to let people know who own them there's a beta update available. Easy.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jarman92 Avatar
61 months ago

I'm a little surprised that the HomePod continues to be sold and get software updates. I'd think Apple would get the hint.

I feel like Tim Cook's legacy should be remembered as being Siri. She was introduced at the first keynote where Tim lead, and despite the constant evidence that she needed massive improvements, he never did and instead just kept shoving her into more places she wasn't wanted.

Maybe Tim's successor will kill Siri as their first action. Then the HomePod.

It'll be like how Steve started his second run as CEO - he just axed all the stupid distractions that Apple had on their plate and focused on the core things that Apple should do right.

If you're going to sell a product at all, make it GREAT. And if it's not great, don't bother. HomePod and Siri are both things that should never have left R&D at Apple. The Apple Watch... has potential. Apple just keeps missing the mark. It feels like they need somebody new in-charge of the Apple Watch to bring it from OK to GREAT.
Pretty sure Tim Cook’s legacy will be leading Apple to becoming the world’s first $1 trillion company, and then the world’s first $2 trillion company, and very likely the world’s first $3 trillion company.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
840quadra Avatar
61 months ago

I have seven HomePods; four originals organized as two stereo pairs - one pair in my living room and another pair in my woodshop, a single original in my wife's studio, and two HomePod Minis.

All are superb producing music and taking Siri commands- I have zero complaints with any of them. Hat-tip to Tim Cook for developing them!
Agreed on the quality. I have a stereo pair in my great room that I tend to use for Apple TV Audio over my really expensive Home Theater. For most situations the pair provide plenty of audio for my needs, and I only fire up the full home audio when I have a dedicated movie night these days.

Siri has greatly improved since it was introduced. It can’t match some of the abilities of Google Assistant just due to the more privacy focused system, however voice recognition itself has been better on Apple devices for me recently. I have Google Home and Home Pods in my household.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mashdots Avatar
61 months ago
I for one am excited for this. It'll be great to finally take advantage of higher audio quality.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)