One of the main novelties of the second generation HomePod is also available in the HomePod mini, albeit in a hidden way. Both speakers, specifically, They have a humidity and temperature sensorin order to allow Siri to provide us with much more precise data and, in addition, to be able to automate some connected accessories depending on the temperature or humidity level in the environment.
In the case of the HomePod mini, the sensor is inactive, despite the fact that the component has always been there since the launch of the speaker, which, let’s remember, was in 2020. In fact, it is still in that same state. However, Apple has confirmed that the situation will change soon.
The HomePod mini’s temperature and humidity sensor, in particular, will be activated after the release of iOS 13.6, which will arrive next week. The best thing to do, therefore, is to wait for Apple to officially start distributing this version, but if you want to have the thermometer available right now, You can update your speaker to version 13.6 beta by following these steps.
Update HomePod mini to activate the hidden temperature sensor
First of all, go to the home app from your iPhone and click on the three-dot menu that appears at the top of the screen. Then, click on ‘Home settings’ and then on the ‘Software updates’ section. Finally, tap on ‘HomePod beta update’ and turn on the switch on HomePod mini.
The version will be downloaded automatically, so all you have to do once the beta is activated is Wait a few minutes for HomePod mini to install the update. You can check if it has already been updated to version 16.3 by following these steps.
- Access the Home app and long press on your HomePod mini.
- Click ‘HomePod Details’.
- Swipe to the bottom and click on the gear icon that appears in a corner.
- Scroll down to the ‘Version’ option and check if ‘16.3 Beta’ appears.
Once you have the version available, the temperature and humidity controls will appear at the top of the Home app, and you can ask Siri commands like “what’s the temperature like” or “what’s the humidity in the environment”. On the other hand, you can also set connected accessories to activate at a certain temperature or humidity level.