Apple’s HomePod is a masterpiece of audio engineering and my absolute favourite sensible speaker. I really like its design, AirPlay, HandOff, and unbelievable audio efficiency.
Nevertheless, do you know except for audio like music and podcasts, you may also use your HomePod to fill an area with ambient background noise from the ocean, a forest, and even simply pure white noise?
Apple first added Ambient Sounds to the HomePod a couple of years in the past. Basically, your HomePod can settle for instructions to play a complete of seven totally different ambient sounds. It is a function that only a few folks learn about regardless of it having existed for years. With the HomePod 2 , Apple remastered these soundscapes, making them sound higher than ever.
Break the silence
(Picture credit score: Future / Stephen Warwick)
Not everybody desires to take heed to music or podcasts on a regular basis – I do know I actually don’t. ‘Sitting or working silence, nevertheless, can really feel actually unusual. After all, there are ambient sounds galore throughout the net, however with the ability to merely ask Siri for the sounds of the forest on my HomePod is delightfully handy, and it sounds incredible!
After all, ambient sounds will also be tremendously useful whenever you’re making an attempt to get to sleep. What’s extra, ambient background noise can generally assist to masks undesirable background and environmental noise whenever you’re making an attempt to float off.
A 2021 examine (opens in new tab) discovered that “white noise considerably improved sleep based mostly on subjective and goal measurements in topics complaining of problem sleeping resulting from excessive ranges of environmental noise.” An analogous 2017 examine revealed white noise was significantly efficient in decreasing sleep onset latency (how lengthy it takes you to go to sleep).
To be sincere, whether or not white noise or some other background sound helps with sleep is probably going a really subjective matter, however in case you are somebody who struggles to sleep, then this HomePod function may actually be value your time.
As famous, there’s a white noise possibility (which I personally discover to be a bit jarring), but additionally a couple of different notable decisions.
Wake by the ocean
(Picture credit score: Future / Stephen Warwick)
My two favorites are the ocean sounds and the hearth, the previous could be very enjoyable, and the latter is a splendidly cozy crackling for anybody who misses the heat of an open hearth.
Forest sounds and evening sounds are additionally very nicely put collectively and fascinating, nevertheless, I don’t suppose these ones would personally assist put me to sleep (though they could assist David Attenborough). A darkish horse for sleep support is the rain sounds, though residing in Scotland I don’t have a lot use for this given it’s practically at all times raining anyway.
The one awkward one I discovered is the stream sound. Others may disagree, however personally, I feel it simply appears like somebody utilizing the bathroom.
To make use of these sounds, you merely should say the magic phrases – “Hey Siri ” – after which “play ”:
“Hey Siri — play white noise.”
“Hey Siri — play ocean sounds.”
“Hey Siri — play hearth.”
“Hey Siri — play evening sounds.”
“Hey Siri — play forest sounds.”
“Hey Siri — play stream sounds.”
“Hey Siri — play rain sounds.”
When you’ve began off an ambient sound, you’ll be able to then ask Siri to start out a sleep timer that may cease the sound from enjoying after an allotted interval. That may be a number of hours in order for you the sound to run all evening, or a couple of minutes when you simply need the sound that can assist you drift off.
These work on all fashions of HomePod, and we’ve a full information on methods to play ambient sleep sounds in your HomePod or HomePod mini.
