HomePod 27.2: Sound Glow comes to older HomePods too

In mid-October, Sound Glow was still a reason to pick the HomePod mini 2: the top of the speaker pulses to the beat of the music, in colors taken from the album artwork. With HomePod Software 27.2, which Apple began rolling out on Monday evening, the existing HomePod mini and the second-generation HomePod get the light show as well. According to the update notes quoted by MacRumors, it works with songs, podcasts and ambient sounds.

Two other additions are less flashy, but possibly more useful day to day. A new option disables the touch controls on top – so no child or cat can accidentally pause the music, skip a track or crank up the volume. A HomePod can also now serve as the audio output for everything on a Mac, via an AirPlay connection that Apple describes as responsive and persistent – meaning it is supposed to stay up rather than constantly reconnecting.

Version 27.2 also adds support for home theater surround sound with four HomePods, which requires tvOS 27.2 as well. The catch is that it needs the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K, plus a front and rear pair of HomePod mini 2 or second-generation HomePod speakers. The original HomePod mini is left out. The feature can only be used once the hardware arrives anyway: the HomePod mini 2 ships on October 30, the new Apple TV 4K on November 13.

For Vision Pro, Apple lists only bug fixes and security updates in visionOS 27.2. watchOS 27.2, by contrast, brings Siri AI improvements to the Apple Watch, although they are not available in the EU. On Monday evening, Apple's support page for HomePod updates still listed version 27 as the latest.

For owners of older HomePods, 27.2 is an update worth installing, even if it doesn't change anything about Siri. Sound Glow costs nothing, and households with kids in particular will likely appreciate the control lock. The update is installed via the Home app's home settings, or arrives on its own if automatic updates are enabled.