Apple today released new 13.2 software for their HomePod smart speaker. The update brong new features like Handoff and voice detection for multiple family members. Unfortunately, the update is apparently bricking some users’ HomePods.
MacRumors reports the multiple users in their forums and on Reddit report the 13.2 update has rendered their HomePods unusable. sers who are seeing problems are experiencing a “white swirl” on both of their HomePods, or an endless reset loop.
From the MacRumors forums:
I have two HomePods with the same issue you describe after the update 13.2. HomePods both stopped responding after the update. I reset both HomePods hoping to fix the problem, but now I have a white swirl on top of both, and the install pop-up does not work on either HomePods, and I can no longer reset both HomePods because the long press on top no longer functions. Just an endless white swirl. I will wait a while to see if others have similar issues before contacting Apple support.
While some users had issues immediately following the update, others have had issues after resetting their devices following the update.
From Reddit:
Updated HomePod remotely through HomePod before updating phone, once back at home updated phone to 13.2. Now the phone update was complete I never saw the new features splash screen so started looking through menus to see if new features were showing, although maybe nothing had change in menu anyway on 13.2, either way I removed the HomePod from the home app to begin a hard reset. On powering back up to begin red ring reset, HomePod appeared to be constantly reboot every 8-10 secs not allowing enough time for the red ring to reset.
It was initially thought that the issues were linked to an Apple Music earlier today, but that doesn’t appear to be the case after all.
Some users say they’ve already contacted Apple Support and have arranged replacement devices.
Users that haven’t yet updated their HomePod using the new software are advised to avoid doing so. If you have already updated, avoid resetting your HomePod until further notice.