For the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch, Apple offers both developer betas and public betas, allowing users to test upcoming new software features ahead of their release. The same is not true for HomePod, but there is still an AppleSeed beta available to invited users, allowing them to test new HomePod software features.
This year, however, the HomePod Software beta is causing a variety of problems for users, including hardware failures and more…
Even though the HomePod and HomePod mini betas are only technically available to invited users, the device profile necessary to install the beta software can easily be found via a quick Google search. This means people who aren’t invited to the AppleSeed testing program can still install the HomePod beta firmware.
A thread on Reddit includes a variety of details on the problems users running the HomePod Software 15 beta are experiencing:
I advise to unplug anyone of your HomePods that are hot on top leading to your logic board failing or have the issue on audio os 15 where Siri can’t pause music when it is playing music, touching the top will only skip it.
One of the most common complaints is that the HomePod will get abnormally hot when running the beta, and in some cases, the HomePod will even completely power down, seemingly due to the overheating.
This sucks, and there is no way to downgrade on the og homepod, I hope apple fixes this soon, or provides a downgrade path profile so I can plug mine back into the wall. Even for developers this is a pretty difficult situation to cope with.
More than anything, this is evidence that you should not install betas — particularly HomePod betas — on your primary devices. This is especially true for the HomePod because Apple’s beta testing program is so limited and because there is no way to easily revert to a previous HomePod Software build if you face issues.
Have you had any issues running the HomePod Software 15.0 beta on your HomePod or HomePod mini? Let us know down in the comments!
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