Lossless Audio and Dolby Atmos Support Come to HomePod With 15.1 Software Update

Alongside the iOS 15.1 update that was released today, Apple has introduced a new 15.1 software update that's designed for the HomePod and the HomePod mini.

HomePodandMini feature
The ‌HomePod‌ update introduces Lossless Audio and Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio to Apple's HomePods, bringing them in line with other devices that have supported the features since earlier this year. Lossless Audio is available on both the ‌HomePod‌ and ‌HomePod mini‌, while Spatial Audio is available on the larger-sized and now-discontinued ‌HomePod‌.

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.

‌‌‌‌‌‌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 following the instructions in our ‌‌HomePod‌‌ update how to.

Related Roundups: HomePod, HomePod mini

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Use Same Rear Chassis as iPhone 16

Friday July 19, 2024 7:16 am PDT by
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Just Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Monday July 15, 2024 4:44 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
iphone 14 lineup

Cellebrite Unable to Unlock iPhones on iOS 17.4 or Later, Leak Reveals

Thursday July 18, 2024 4:18 am PDT by
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
tinypod apple watch

TinyPod Turns Your Apple Watch Into an iPod

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...
bsod

Crowdstrike Says Global IT Outage Impacting Windows PCs, But Mac and Linux Hosts Not Affected

Friday July 19, 2024 3:12 am PDT by
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
New MacBook Pros Launching Tomorrow With These 4 New Features 2

M5 MacBook Models to Use New Compact Camera Module in 2025

Wednesday July 17, 2024 2:58 am PDT by
Apple in 2025 will take on a new compact camera module (CCM) supplier for future MacBook models powered by its next-generation M5 chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Writing in his latest investor note on unny-opticals-2025-business-momentum-to-benefit-509819818c2a">Medium, Kuo said Apple will turn to Sunny Optical for the CCM in its M5 MacBooks. The Chinese optical lens company...

Top Rated Comments

smithrh Avatar
36 months ago

I might be way out of the loop but isn't lossless audio through Bluetooth still compressed or I should say down sampled?

edit: from apples site
[HEADING=1]What you need to know about lossless in Apple Music[/HEADING]


* Streaming lossless audio over a cellular or Wi-Fi network consumes significantly more data. And downloading lossless audio uses significantly more space on your device. Higher resolutions use more data than lower ones.
* AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and Beats wireless headphones use Apple AAC Bluetooth Codec to ensure excellent audio quality. However, Bluetooth connections aren't lossless.
* To get a lossless version of music that you already downloaded from Apple Music, just delete the music and redownload it from the Apple Music catalog.

This post is about HomePods, not AirPods...
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
smithrh Avatar
36 months ago
These devices have ALWAYS used WiFi.

Now, they ALSO can play lossless songs from Apple Music.

What's unclear about this?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FatPete Avatar
36 months ago

Lossless audio streamed via lossy method. Makes sense.
From what I understand, the HomePod will stream the music as ALAC from Apple's servers. No bluetooth involved in this case. Similar to how Tidal, Qobuz and Deezer Premium work on Sonos speakers.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
smithrh Avatar
36 months ago

Lossless audio streamed via lossy method. Makes sense.
See the post above.

Do people get paid by the post?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
profets Avatar
36 months ago
I have a few pairs of HomePods and absolutely love them. Still sad about how they were discontinued, but happy to see they're still getting updates.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Roy Hobbs Avatar
36 months ago

So a Legacy HomePod can play Dolby Atmos
but a pair of newer mini’s can’t?
Correct
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)