The original HomePod has been discontinued for several months, and users are now reporting that their smart speaker is suddenly dying in version 14.6 with no proper reason. This comes after some users reported issues with the HomePod Software 15 beta as well..
One of our readers shared his experience with a pair of original HomePods connected to the Apple TV:
I have two Homepods, I got one 18 months ago and another one two months ago. Both were stereo paired and on 14.6 and the oldest one suddenly died. Apple Support did not help with I’m six months out of warranty and I was basically told to just go get a new one.
While 9to5Mac reported last week that some smart speakers were overheating with HomePod 15 beta, original HomePod owners are also now saying that the stable 14.6 version is bricking their products.
Another user, who has over 19 HomePods, had seven (four on beta and three on version 14.6) of them suddenly turn into paperweights:
I have a total of 19 HomePods at home. Six of them are on Beta and the others on 14.6. As of today, seven are no longer working. Four on the beta and three on 14.6. I use the HomePods normally and listen to music from time to time but not very loud, on average about 20% volume. All the ones on the beta are connected as default speakers on the Apple TV.
The same issue from our reader also arose for another Reddit user:
Had stereo pair on surge protectors for last few years. No beta software. Just 14.6 when it was released. Suddenly one of the two just dead. Tried restarting, tried deleting from Home app.
One interesting thing is that all these users complaining were using the HomePod with an Apple TV (on tvOS 14.6). Whether it’s a bug when pairing both products or whether the smart speaker is just poorly working, it’s unclear.
Although users have been complaining about HomePod suddenly dying, Apple has yet to acknowledge this issue. For those who are out of warranty, Apple charges a $280 fee for replacing the older smart speaker. For those with Apple Care still active, the company just replaces the product outright.
Are you having trouble with your original HomePod? Did it suddenly die on version 14.6? Let us know in the comment section below.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments