HomePod Finally Gets Crossfade in Major September Update

While Apple barely mentioned the HomePod lineup at its latest event, the smart speaker is getting upgrades worth paying attention to. Apple is launching a software update next week that brings two key enhancements to the HomePod experience, releasing September 15 alongside all other new Apple OS updates.

The software version 26 update tunes up music playback and makes WiFi management simpler in Home app settings. Modest on paper, sure, but it tackles long standing annoyances, the dead air between songs and the hassle of wrangling multi-room audio with non Apple Music services.

Crossfade finally comes to HomePod

The headline act, crossfade capability is coming to HomePod for the first time. When you play Apple Music, you can set up crossfade to blend one song into the next. The song that is ending fades out as the next song fades in, so the music keeps flowing without that awkward pause.

If you care about the feel of a playlist, this lands. No more jarring cut to silence right as the chorus ends, no scrambling to skip a slow intro at a dinner party. And yes, HomePod is catching up here, crossfade has been on iPhone, iPad, and Mac since iOS 17 and earlier versions.

Setup is simple. Enable Crossfade by opening the Home app and heading to Home Settings -> People -> [Your Name] -> Apple Music -> Crossfade. If you like to dial things in, you can customize the crossfade duration between 1 second and 12 seconds to match your vibe.

PRO TIP: Start with a 3 to 4 second crossfade for most genres. Smooth, not mushy.

There is a caveat. Support for Apple’s AutoMix feature is missing, so you are not getting tempo matching or beat syncing. Fair trade for now, crossfade alone is a meaningful upgrade if HomePod is your daily listener.

Voice control gets smarter for multi-room audio

The other big quality of life boost involves voice commands across multiple speakers. Multi-room capabilities have existed since AirPlay 2 released back in 2018. The difference now is how naturally it works with your voice.

Previously, if you were playing directly to the HomePod using Apple Music, you could say things like “Also play this in the living room” or “Play everywhere” to light up multiple rooms. That only applied to Apple Music.

That wall comes down. With the 2025 HomePod software, voice controls for multi-room audio are expanding beyond Apple Music, and You can now use the voice commands for any AirPlay stream on HomePod. Streaming Spotify, Pandora, or YouTube Music in the living room? You can now directly ask it to “play this upstairs,” and the session updates to include more speakers. No phone grabbing, no Control Center juggling.

The result is a HomePod that behaves more like a true hub. Start music from whatever you like, then spread it through the house with a quick voice nudge.

What this means for HomePod’s future

Small steps, bigger arc. The new HomePod 26 software update is available for HomePod mini and the full size HomePod, and it arrives alongside the rest of Apple’s September software. If you prefer dates on the calendar, it is the one that launches publicly next week, September 15.

Hardware is on the horizon too. Apple’s next HomePod (3rd gen) is expected in late 2025 with a 7 inch touchscreen and a built in camera for FaceTime, effectively turning it into a smart display. That would be a notable pivot, putting Apple toe to toe with Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub.

The HomePod family is renowned for premium sound, the current model uses a 4 inch woofer and five tweeters for 360° audio. The HomePod 3 is expected to keep audio quality front and center, then layer in that screen and smarter hub chops. Early pricing chatter puts it around 349 to 499 dollars, squarely in premium smart display territory.

The move tracks with the market. Amazon and Google have leaned into screen forward home hubs for years, while Apple tends to lead with sound. If Apple can keep that edge in audio while adding a display, it could feel less like a copycat and more like an upgrade.

Bottom line, these software updates are not flashy, but they make HomePod nicer to live with. Crossfade delivers long overdue parity with other Apple devices, and the broader voice control makes multi-room listening something you will actually use with any streaming service. For HomePod owners, that is the kind of everyday polish that turns a speaker into a centerpiece.