Apple releases iOS 13.3.1, starts selling HomePod in India

Apple is rolling out iOS and iPadOS 13.3.1 to compatible devices. The update size for our iPhone XR is 275MB but depending upon your device, your mileage may vary.

The update largely features bug fixes and performance improvements. However, one interesting option being added by the 13.3.1 update is the ability to control the use of the U1 Ultra Wideband chip found inside the iPhone 11 series of devices.

Change log

If you recall, the U1 chip inside the 2019 iPhones enabled them to to locate and be located by other UWB enabled devices with pinpoint accuracy within its range. USB is far more precise than Bluetooth in determining the position of the other device in its vicinity and also has higher bandwidth. Apple so far only uses it for AirDrop but there were rumors of the company working on a Tile-like device.

If you read further down the change log then you’ll see that HomePod now supports the Indian English Siri voice. That’s because the HomePod is finally available in the Indian market. It’s priced at INR 19,900 ($279), which is actually cheaper than the $299 US price. This makes it the cheapest price for the HomePod anywhere in the world.

India joins the handful of countries selling the HomePod, which first launched in the US, UK and Australia in January 2018. It then went on sale in Canada, France, and Germany in June 2018, and Spain and Mexico in October 2018. Later, it became available in China and Hong Kong in January 2019 and Japan and Taiwan in August 2019. The device initially launched for $349 in the US but the price was dropped to $299 in April 2019.