Apple enthusiasts have long awaited a more immersive audio experience from their HomePod devices. Recent discoveries in the audioOS 27 beta suggest that Apple may finally deliver on this front with a four-speaker HomePod surround sound system.
This potential development could significantly enhance the way users experience movies, TV shows, and music at home. By leveraging four HomePod (2nd generation) units, Apple aims to create a spatial audio environment that places sounds around the listener, adding depth and realism to the audio experience.
How the HomePod surround sound system could work
The proposed system would arrange four HomePod units in front-left, front-right, rear-left, and rear-right positions. The front speakers would handle the main audio mix, while the rear units would fill the room with omnidirectional sound. Each speaker would be assigned a specific role, with files like quad_frontleft and quad_rearright applying tuning for optimal placement.
For movie and multichannel audio, the system would include dialogue processingbass management and dynamic range control. Additionally, there would be EQ tuning an immersive spatial mixer and a low-latency surround mode for faster syncing. Music playback would also receive specialized treatment, with adjustments for bass, dynamic range, and EQ. Siri and system sounds would be mixed into the rear channels.
Apple’s automatic room calibration would extend to this new arrangement, using the HomePod’s built-in microphones to tune the system on the fly. This process would create a four-by-four map of speaker positions, enabling the system to sense each unit’s placement in the room.
Potential new hardware
The audioOS 27 code references two different configurations. The first, labeled SUVuses four second-generation HomePods. The second, called Forkliftpairs two second-generation HomePods as front speakers and uses rear units from an unreleased hardware family called AID12007. This identifier does not match any current HomePod model, suggesting it could be the next-generation HomePod mini or an entirely new third-generation HomePod.
Given the references to hardware that hasn’t shipped yet, Apple may be holding back the feature, possibly waiting for a new HomePod model to arrive.
Party mode and current limitations
Apart from the surround system, audioOS 27 also includes a new Party Mode for HomePod (2nd generation) stereo pairs. This mode uses a diffuse rendering style to spread music more evenly across a room, making it ideal for casual listening and gatherings. Siri responses and system sounds also receive this treatment.
However, HomeKit, the Home app, and Apple TV currently have no way to identify a four-HomePod system. This means that surround sound isn’t something owners can set up today, even on hardware that technically supports it. There’s also no indication that these features are tied to the public release of audioOS 27.
As Apple continues to innovate in the home audio space, the potential for a HomePod surround sound system represents an exciting development for users seeking a more immersive audio experience.
