Feature request: HomePod should have a true surround mode

HomePod, Apple’s smart speaker, has some great features when it comes to pairing multiple speakers together. Thanks to AirPlay 2, users can play the same audio on different HomePods around the house or even use a stereo pair as standard Apple TV speakers. However, there’s one thing that I still miss about the HomePod, and that’s a true surround mode.

HomePod for TV Speakers

Even before the HomePod mini, users had the option to set up two HomePods as a stereo pair so that sound comes out in left and right channels for a more immersive experience. And now with the sixth-generation Apple TV, you can set a pair of HomePods as your television’s default speaker via the eARC connection.

I currently have two TVs in my home and they all have an Apple TV. The built-in speakers of the TV aren’t very good so I purchased two HomePod minis to improve my music and watch better quality movies.

And in fact, I really enjoy using HomePods as TV speakers. These HomePods are much louder than the television sound and produce a deeper bass. But even though they support Dolby Atmos, HomePod still doesn’t really support true surround.

Currently, only one pair of HomePods can be set as default speakers for your Apple TV. With AirPlay 2, there’s the option to select other HomePods to play the same audio simultaneously on all of them – but it will just replicate the sound in both pairs instead of making it surround.

Not to mention that selecting multiple HomePods in the AirPlay menu is always a mess. This should not be a problem.

True surround mode for HomePod

Since the HomePod supports Dolby Atmos, which is a technology that enables three-dimensional sound, a true surround mode would take the experience of using HomePods as TV speakers to the next level.

Imagine if four HomePods could be placed in your living space, serving each as an audio channel. Or even if there was an option to set up a 5. 1 surround system using a larger HomePod as a subwoofer (with rumors of a new HomePod in the works, that would be killer).

Of course, there are many surround system options available on the market, but personally I like using HomePods because of the integration with AirPlay, HomeKit, and all my Apple devices. If there’s one feature I wish for tvOS 16 and HomePod Software 16, that’s a true surround mode for the HomePod.

What do you think about using HomePods as your TV speakers? Do you miss any of the features? Let me know in the comments below.

More information about HomePod

• The original HomePod’s demise is a slow and sad one (despite appreciating value)
• As HomePod turns 4, here’s what could follow the discontinued Siri speaker
• New to HomePod or just unsure what to do with it? Try these useful voice commands