Updated: Nov 29, 2020 10:42:09 am
HomePod is next to the HomePod Mini. (Photo credit: Anuj Bhatia / Indian Express)
When Apple recently launched the HomePod Mini for $ 99, many thought it would be a regular smart speaker. As it turns out, Apple’s more affordable smart speaker is a small dynamite with big ambitions. Although the HomePod Mini is praised for its sound quality, it is the intercom feature that really helps the Siri-enabled mini speaker to capture in Amazon Echo and Nest Home.
In a way, the HomePod Mini acts as an intercom that makes it possible to send a message to other family messages that also have Apple devices, including the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. It’s useful if you want to let your family members know when dinner is ready, or it’s time to gather in front of the house before you leave for a party. We really liked the HomePod Mini’s intercom feature, which is also available on the regular HomePod.
In this guide, we’ll tell you how to set up the new intercom feature on a HomePod Mini or HomePod.
The basics
Before using the HomePod intercom feature, make sure your iOS or HomePod devices have been updated to iOS 14.2. The intercom feature also works with the Apple Watch, and to activate the feature, you just need to update the watch to WatchOS 7.1 or later. The newly announced Intercom feature also works with AirPods and CarPlay. Unfortunately, there is no way to use the intercom feature with an Apple TV or Mac.
On the HomePod or HomePod Mini, you can send a message to other Apple devices in your home. (Photo credit: Anuj Bhatia / Indian Express)
How to set up intercom on HomePods
Once you have updated your iOS devices to iOS 14.2, it’s time to set up the intercom feature in the HomePod app.
1.) Launch the HomePod app on your iPhone or iPad.
2.) Click on the House icon in the upper left corner.
3.) Click on “Home Settings”
4.) Scroll down to ‘Intercom’ and tap on it.
5.) Click on “Intercom.”
After you’ve set up intercom on HomePods, you can add a family member to give home access. This can be done by going to the main settings screen and clicking on ‘Invite People’.
Intercom worked very well in our tests. (Photo credit: Anuj Bhatia / Indian Express)
How to send an intercom message
The best way to send an intercom message is with your voice saying “Hey Siri, tell everyone, lunch is ready”.
Note: Intercom messages can be sent to HomePods through the Home app using Siri on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods and CarPlay.
To send an intercom message, simply activate Siri on your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, CarPlay, or AirPods, then say “Intercom” and send your message. For example, you want to tell everyone in your house that dinner is ready and will be served on the balcony, just say “Intercom, dinner is ready” and the dinner message will be broadcast to all HomePods in the house.
To use intercom, go to the Home app for iPhone and iPad and tap on the small waveform in the upper left corner to record a message. And if you want to use HomePod to send a message to other HomePods or Apple devices in your home, just activate “Siri”, say “Intercom”, then send a message.
Intercom can be used to send audio messages to iPhone, iPad, AirPods or Apple Watch in your home. (Photo credit: Anuj Bhatia / Indian Express)
Additional advice
How to use HomePod as a phone speaker
HomePod isn’t just for listening to music. It can also be used to make and receive phone calls, and turn HomePod into a speakerphone.
There are two ways to make and receive calls on the HomePod and HomePod Mini. The first option is to say, “Hey Siri, call Dad” and start talking to your dad. The second option is to divert calls to HomePod or HomePod Mini. Here’s how to do it.
1.) When you are in a call, tap on the audio icon.
2.) Tap the name of the HomePod.
3.) The audio icon will switch to HomePod or HomePod Mini.
The HomePod works as a speakerphone with a number of apps along with the official phone app baked into iOS. Here are some of the phone apps that can use HomePod to make calls: FaceTime, WhatsApp, Skype, and Viber.
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