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Apple's latest iOS update brings Siri news briefs and HomePod support

But only if you live in the right countries.

Rob LeFebvre/Engadget

Siri's news reading feature is no longer limited to the beta testing crowd. Apple has officially released iOS 11.2.5, and the centerpiece is the ability to ask Siri for the latest happenings. If you're in the US, UK or Australia, you can get a briefing from a slew of local sources, such as NPR and the Washington Post in the states or the BBC and Sky News in the UK. And it doesn't have to be general news, either -- you can ask for business, music or sports news as well.

Not surprisingly, 11.2.5 is also key to unlocking support for the HomePod speaker. If you happen to score Apple's Siri-savvy device, you can set it up and transfer all your account details in one fell swoop.

The release comes alongside a slew of updates for the Apple TV, Apple Watch and macOS, although they're mostly minor. The biggest improvements come for Mac users: macOS High Sierra 10.13.3 fixes a number of security issues (such as running code when playing malicious sound files), while those still running Sierra or El Capitan are getting fixes for Meltdown.