Apple updates tvOS and HomePod Software to 16.3.1

AppleInsider

Apple has released a pair of software updates affecting tvOS and the HomePod range, bringing them up to version 16.3.1.

HomePod mini

The update, which landed on Monday and brings each to build number 20K661, can be downloaded to the Apple TV, the HomePod, and HomePod mini by all device owners.

The updates will install automatically onto each device in time, however you can manually do so on the Apple TV within the Settings app. The HomePod software update can be managed via the Home app.

It is unclear exactly what the content of the updates are, except for Apple's patch notes stating they include "general performance and stability improvements." The minute version number change to 16.3.1 also points to it being a minor refresh.

The last HomePod software update to version 16.3 included features enabling built-in temperature and humidity sensors in the HomePod mini and HomePod, with readings for each able to be seen within the Home app and by asking Siri for them.

Changes to ambient sounds, audio tuning for spoken content, and Find My alterations were also in the 16.3 update.

Read on AppleInsider

ihatescreennames

I have 2 issues I hope this minor update addresses. First, since 16.3 my voice is no longer recognized. Second, and possibly related, any time I ask my HomePod where my SO is (the Find My feature) it tells me I need to change the “use my location” settings, even those settings are already correct. 

dewme

ihatescreennames said:

I have 2 issues I hope this minor update addresses. First, since 16.3 my voice is no longer recognized. Second, and possibly related, any time I ask my HomePod where my SO is (the Find My feature) it tells me I need to change the “use my location” settings, even those settings are already correct. 

Seeing the same issues with 16.3, in addition to my HomePods no longer shuffling through my Apple Music songs.

Fingers crossed that 16.3.1 fixes these issues without introducing any new ones.  

bakerzdosen

I was hoping this would fix my "There was a problem completing your request, try again in a moment" issues, but I just got one after updating all of my HomePods and ATVs.

mpw_amherst

I’m not sure whether it was the 16.3 update or the new HomeKit system upgrade (all my HomePods successfully transitioned) but I’ve been getting the "There was a problem completing your request, try again in a moment" message every time I say hey siri first time only for all to work second time. It’s all been feeling very buggy. 

wwinter86

Still has the issue with the Homepods saying your Apple ID password is wrong when you have the Advanced Data Protection feature turned on for your account.

appleinsideruser

Will it fix Siri saying that the humidity is high at 53%? Surely 53% isn’t high? What is the threshold for not saying the humidity in the kitchen is high at xx%? And why such a long rambling answer too. 

Ok, I’m overreacting, I admit. But it bugs me.

Japhey

appleinsideruser said:

Will it fix Siri saying that the humidity is high at 53%? Surely 53% isn’t high? What is the threshold for not saying the humidity in the kitchen is high at xx%? And why such a long rambling answer too. 

Ok, I’m overreacting, I admit. But it bugs me.

You’re not overreacting at all. That would annoy me too. 

elijahg

appleinsideruser said:

Will it fix Siri saying that the humidity is high at 53%? Surely 53% isn’t high? What is the threshold for not saying the humidity in the kitchen is high at xx%? And why such a long rambling answer too. 

Ok, I’m overreacting, I admit. But it bugs me.

That bugs me too. It doesn't say it for what I would deem a high temperature, so why do it for humidity?

TheObannonFile

I just want my HomePod minis to not be configuring for 2 months straight because of the new HomeKit architecture.

dewme

The updates went smoothly and I was able to pair my two minis. After last week’s fiasco with 16.3  I was concerned when the pair went into “Configuring …” for a few minutes. But lo & behold the pair transitioned into “Not Playing …” and I was able to call up an album using Siri. 

I’m still noticing issues when I ask Siri to shuffle my entire music collection. I thought it was only the HomePods so I tried the same thing on my Mac Studio and it also got into what seemed like an infinite loop. 

I’m now thinking that there’s probably something going on in iCloud that’s slowing things down. On the Mac I can see that it’s still waiting while showing a status window for something to occur while the HomePod gives up after a short delay and says it’s having a problem connecting with Apple Music. 

I think the persistence model for the Home app is maintained in iCloud so any issues or excess latency with iCloud is going to be reflected in the Home app. 

My guess is that Apple made some changes to its authorization and authentication model in iCloud that are having a ripple effect across any number on apps. 

In retrospect, I’ve been having issues with the Music app on different devices. I added an album to my music Library last night from my iPhone. When I opened my Mac Studio (Ventura) this morning the album was stuck trying to sync the album with the library on my Mac (as I have configured). The same album downloaded perfectly fine to my old iMac that’s stuck at Catalina. 

Hmmm. 

Japhey

dewme said:

The updates went smoothly and I was able to pair my two minis. After last week’s fiasco with 16.3  I was concerned when the pair went into “Configuring …” for a few minutes. But lo & behold the pair transitioned into “Not Playing …” and I was able to call up an album using Siri. 

I’m still noticing issues when I ask Siri to shuffle my entire music collection. I thought it was only the HomePods so I tried the same thing on my Mac Studio and it also got into what seemed like an infinite loop. 

I’m now thinking that there’s probably something going on in iCloud that’s slowing things down. On the Mac I can see that it’s still waiting while showing a status window for something to occur while the HomePod gives up after a short delay and says it’s having a problem connecting with Apple Music. 

I think the persistence model for the Home app is maintained in iCloud so any issues or excess latency with iCloud is going to be reflected in the Home app. 

My guess is that Apple made some changes to its authorization and authentication model in iCloud that are having a ripple effect across any number on apps. 

In retrospect, I’ve been having issues with the Music app on different devices. I added an album to my music Library last night from my iPhone. When I opened my Mac Studio (Ventura) this morning the album was stuck trying to sync the album with the library on my Mac (as I have configured). The same album downloaded perfectly fine to my old iMac that’s stuck at Catalina. 

Hmmm. 

Similar things have been happening to the Apple TV for a long time. Your description reminded me of this article from a few weeks back…

https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/01/27/tv-app-on-apple-tv-hardware-frustrating-users-with-large-libraries

Gaby

I have had intermittent problems with all my HomePods where Siri is concerned for what must be 6 months now. Where they are responding with “that request is taking too long” or “there are no devices that do that in this home” 

But since 16.2, two of my HomePod minis in my bedroom have been stuck “configuring” on a permanent basis. I have rebooted them, and reset them countless times, even going so far as to plug them into my Mac to restore twice to no avail. I did the same the second 16.3 
was released which still didn’t resolve the issue so I’m praying to God that this is what this update finally resolves. Can I ask has anyone else had similar issues of late? 

dewme

Gaby said:

I have had intermittent problems with all my HomePods where Siri is concerned for what must be 6 months now. Where they are responding with “that request is taking too long” or “there are no devices that do that in this home” 

But since 16.2, two of my HomePod minis in my bedroom have been stuck “configuring” on a permanent basis. I have rebooted them, and reset them countless times, even going so far as to plug them into my Mac to restore twice to no avail. I did the same the second 16.3 
was released which still didn’t resolve the issue so I’m praying to God that this is what this update finally resolves. Can I ask has anyone else had similar issues of late? 

You should consider removing them from your Home app, remove them from your AppleId in Settings, remove any duplicates of them, if present, in Settings as well, plug each one into your Mac using the USB-C cable attached to the HomePod and resetting them to the latest firmware version (should be 16.3.1) when they show up in Finder. 

After doing this make sure they don’t show up any more in your Home app. This may take a few minutes. Then add them back to your Home app like you would add a brand new HomePod. 

I think a part of the “Configuring” problem is due to the information in your Settings/iCloud getting out of sync with your Home app. Starting off with a clean slate seems to help. Stick with one device like an iPhone or iPad to do the new device setup part, making sure that this device is properly configured beforehand for your WiFi setup and AppleId and Apple Music account because the network settings and account info will be transferred from the configuration device (iPhone or iPad) to the new HomePod. 

Scot1

bakerzdosen said:

I was hoping this would fix my "There was a problem completing your request, try again in a moment" issues, but I just got one after updating all of my HomePods and ATVs.

I have the same problem. Currently the work around is to wait for Siri to send out an acknowledgement after saying hey Siri and then making the request. If you simply ask Siri all in one sentence to turn off the light etc. it will instruct you to try again in a moment, but then instantly is able to carry out the function if you repeat the request.

mpw_amherst

Yep updated them, restarted them and at first 1st gen HomePod responded on first command. Now back as it was before - taking 2 goes. 

morac

After updating my HomePod minis one of them got stuck “Not Responding” in the Home app despite working otherwise.  That persisted after a restart and even unplugging and plugging back in.  I eventually got it working by unplugging all my Home hubs including an Apple TV 4K and power off and on my iOS devices which I’ve never had to do.  This is not any better than 16.3.