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

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
Magic Mouse Next to Keyboard

No, Apple CEO Tim Cook Didn't Say He Prefers Logitech's MX Master 3 Over the Magic Mouse

Sunday November 17, 2024 3:03 pm PST by
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false. The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Surpass iPhone 6 as Thinnest iPhone Ever

Monday November 18, 2024 1:07 pm PST by
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick. "We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote. If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...

Top Rated Comments

citysnaps Avatar
41 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)
B4rbelith Avatar
41 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)
citysnaps Avatar
41 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
41 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
41 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
41 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)