Apple Releases HomePod Software 18.2 With Natural Language Search for Apple Music - MacRumors
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Apple Releases HomePod Software 18.2 With Natural Language Search for Apple Music

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Alongside iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, Apple today released new HomePod Software 18.2 that's designed for the ‌HomePod‌ and the HomePod mini.

HomePod 2 and Mini feature 1
The new ‌HomePod‌ software adds support for Apple Music natural language search, which means you can describe what you want to hear in more casual language.

You can ask Siri for music using different combinations of genres, moods, activity, decades, and more. Examples include "songs about cats," "songs with a vibe," "relaxing songs," "artists similar to Taylor Swift," "sad 80s songs," and "songs about food."

The update also improves Enhance Dialogue with the Apple TV 4K to make speech clearer over background sounds.

Software version 18.2 includes bug fixes and stability improvements.

Siri on HomePod is now integrated with Apple Music natural language search so you can describe what you want to hear using any combination of categories like genre, mood, decade or activity.

Enhance Dialogue on HomePod (2nd generation) when paired with Apple TV 4K gives you the option to hear speech more clearly over background sounds using real-time audio processing and machine learning.

‌‌HomePod‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ software is installed automatically on the ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌HomePod‌‌‌‌ unless the feature is disabled‌‌‌‌, but the ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌HomePod‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ can also be manually updated in the Home app by tapping on the More button, choosing Home Settings, and then selecting the Software Update option.

Related Roundups: HomePod, HomePod mini
Buyer's Guide: HomePod (Caution), HomePod Mini (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: HomePod, HomeKit, CarPlay, Home & Auto Technology

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Top Rated Comments

I
ignatius345
19 months ago
I'm not holding my breath for mine to stop being as dumb as a bag of rocks. The number of times it fully bungles Home commands or even requests to play radio stations is deeply maddening.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kleber20 Avatar
Kleber20
19 months ago
What about being able to ask the HomePod for music titles in a different language than the speaker itself set up to? I am tired of saying Spanish titles with English accent!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
haruhiko Avatar
haruhiko
19 months ago
The original HomePods from 2018 are still getting “new” features today. That’s great.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
V
vodouman
19 months ago
This is all well and good. But I bet it still won’t provide practically useful stuff. For example, sometimes, I’ll ask them to play a song and for some reason it’ll play a censored version, and I’ll ask it to play the explicit version and it plays the same song. Or I’ll ask Siri to play a song and it’ll play a live version for some reason and if you ask it to play a studio version or opt for a live version it has no idea what to do.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
klasma
19 months ago

Please send my way if possible
In the Home app, Automation tab, create a new automation, event “A Time of Day Occurs”, next select your HomePod(s), next Media > Audio > “Adjust Volume Only” > “Set Custom Volume”.

It’s an automation that normally lets you play some media, optionally with custom volume setting, but also has an option to only set the volume without playing anything.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
T
TechnoTiger3000
19 months ago

The original HomePods from 2018 are still getting “new” features today. That’s great.
And they’ll still work 1/3 of the time. Consistency!✨🥲
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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