YouTube Music can be a default service on the Apple HomePod now

The Verge

YouTube Music is now compatible with HomePods, as announced by the product head Brandon Bilinski on Reddit. You can now ask Siri to play songs from the service or make it your default music source on your Apple smart speakers. You can follow the steps on this support page to set it up.

HomePods have limited options for third-party music services so far. Besides YouTube Music, only Deezer and Pandora have added support so far. Spotify can be controlled by Siri on HomePods, but not connected directly to the speakers.

To use YouTube Music on your HomePods, you need a YouTube Music or YouTube Premium account. In the app, tap your user icon, then Settings > Connected Apps > Connect with HomePod. To make it your default service, open the Home App, tap the settings icon, then Home Settings > Your username > Default Service.

If you don’t see the "Connected Apps" option in YouTube Music, try closing and reopening the app. You may also need to update the app to the latest version.

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Apple's rumoured HomePod with a display might come in 2024

Photo: Apple

We've heard about Apple's plans to release a low-end iPad that serves as a smart home display. But it looks like that isn't the only IoT (Internet of Things) device in the works. Rumours suggest we may see a HomePod sporting a display. Apple analyst Ming-Chu Kuo reports the company is working on a HomePod with a 7-inch panel, which we could see within the first half of 2024. Chinese supplier Tianma will reportedly manufacture its display. And the device "could enable tighter integration with Apple's other hardware products" and signify a "significant shift in the company's smart home strategy."

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Apple introduces a new larger HomePod

There's a new larger HomePod in town. And if you feel like you're having deja vu, it's because it has the same design as the discontinued 2021 model. But it gets upgraded audio, an S7 chip, improved smart home capabilities, and a lower $399 price. This HomePod gets a custom-made woofer, diaphragm motor, bass EQ mic, and a group of five tweeters. According to Apple, you can expect "rich, deep bass and stunning high frequencies."

With the help of its S7 chip and its software, the HomePod makes the most of its audio setup. It has room sensing tech so it can read sound reflections to determine its position in a room and adjust audio in real-time. This HomePod supports Spatial Audio via Apple Music. And it has a new smart home feature called Sound Recognition, which can monitor for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and send an alert to your iPhone if it hears it. This feature isn't launching with the speaker but is coming via a software update "later this spring." Apple also warns again only relying on the HomePod for emergencies.

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HomePod, HomePod mini now supports Swedish and Norwegian languages

The latest software version for the Apple HomePod and HomePod mini (version 15.6) suggests the speakers will make their way to new markets. It adds support for Siri in Swedish and Norwegian, hinting the mini might make its way to Sweden and Norway in the coming months. 

If you want to change the default language on your HomePod or HomePod mini, open the Home app on your iPhone. Long press on the white card for the HomePod you want to update. Scroll down and tap on the Settings gear icon. Tap on Language, then select your preferred language. 

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