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Apple Releases New 13.4.5 Software for HomePod
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For me, this latest update sucks! If it is all possible, Siri is seemingly dumber now than before. She doesn't always respond to 'lower volume' and doesn't temporarily adjust volume when I ask a question as music is playing. I took for granted 'Hey Siri, lower volume everywhere' because that no longer works well either. Perhaps the download was somehow garbled; I don't know.
I had just received my fourth HomePod as this update arrived, and I planned to purchase another one today. As to my nearly four-decades of allegiance to Apple, I feel like I'm pounding a square peg into a round hole. Despite my rant-like' narrative, I am a type-classified Apple fanboy (Oops, fan-person).
In my opinion, Apple should throw in the towel on this technology. It wouldn't be the first time that Apple gave up on something that 'didn't meet their high standards.' The HomePod is exceptionally well-made, and I like the sound quality. Unfortunately, Apple can't get the Siri software right. They could stop embarrassing themselves by outsourcing the speech and knowledge base to Google Assistant.
I had just received my fourth HomePod as this update arrived, and I planned to purchase another one today. As to my nearly four-decades of allegiance to Apple, I feel like I'm pounding a square peg into a round hole. Despite my rant-like' narrative, I am a type-classified Apple fanboy (Oops, fan-person).
In my opinion, Apple should throw in the towel on this technology. It wouldn't be the first time that Apple gave up on something that 'didn't meet their high standards.' The HomePod is exceptionally well-made, and I like the sound quality. Unfortunately, Apple can't get the Siri software right. They could stop embarrassing themselves by outsourcing the speech and knowledge base to Google Assistant.
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Have you tried checking which wifi their on? Mine keep switching to the neighbors wifi because I used it once 6 months ago on my phone. Happens every day :/ Apparently the only way to fix it is factory reset the pods - no way to forget the network. Otherwise you have to go into home app and click the "change HomePod wifi to same network as phone".
It's 2020—please don't shame your HomePod for self-identifying as your wife. Learn to love and accept...
Yes. Everything is on my network. I actually check network activity - and what is connected - on a bi-weekly basis. Nothing in the house has network issues other than the HomePods.
Also, never in my life have I used a neighbor’s WiFi. I couldn’t even imagine doing so.
All of that works for me. Maybe wipe your HomePods and start over?
That’s a terrible idea. That’s like letting Microsoft run the operating system on Macs. Looking ahead of the curve, conversational computing is the future of computers, period. Interactions by voice will outnumber touch UI in this decade. Leaving Apple without the technology would be giving up the computer space to Google.
This isn’t a far fetched idea, it’s already happening. Both of Apple’s future bets and current rising stars Apple Watch and AirPods run on a speech UI. You can’t give that up to Google.
Yes, Siri needs work but neither is Google or Alexa perfect either. A decade from now, in the wider rear view mirror, it’ll be apparent that they were all still at the starting line, with Google just a few steps ahead. This race will only get started when you can have actual two way conversations with your devices. With a ton of work left to be done, and with all three companies putting a huge emphasis on research and investments into AI and ML, including Apple who poached Google’s John Giannandrea to lead Siri development, it’s still anybody’s race.
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Apple has used some Google services, and I would prefer that Apple retain Siri. Back in 2010, when Apple purchased Siri, it was considered high-tech. I just wish Apple would expand its usefulness. Tim Cook was a great CFO; always looking to improve profit margins, and improving Siri would help.
"Apple has confirmed that it uses Google's public cloud to store data for its iCloud services in its latest version of the iOS Security Guide last month, as spotted by CNBC. Reports that Apple relied on Google's cloud services surfaced in 2016 but were previously never confirmed. Feb 26, 2018"
As for the future, in my view, the iPhone or any other handheld phone will likely become obsolete once smart eyeglasses combined with other wearables mature.
"Apple has confirmed that it uses Google's public cloud to store data for its iCloud services in its latest version of the iOS Security Guide last month, as spotted by CNBC. Reports that Apple relied on Google's cloud services surfaced in 2016 but were previously never confirmed. Feb 26, 2018"
As for the future, in my view, the iPhone or any other handheld phone will likely become obsolete once smart eyeglasses combined with other wearables mature.
same here. In contrast, we also have a several Amazon Echo devices that work flawlessly, and never need rebooting.
They use google, Microsoft and amazon for infrastructure stuff (storage, hosting, data enters) not for strategical technologies that make the difference with other companies
It’s very different
Literally what I’m hoping for. To fix the “your shortcut says...” before every prompt. And “that’s done!” At the end. Please please please!
I do hear some better sound balance in my HomePod pair. Also noticed a lot of "hand off to the iPhone" with this update. Siri still stinks compared to google in voice recognition & we will see about losing network connection...
Yes, this! It was so annoying that I've stopped talking to Siri almost entirely. (Except accidentally. Like when I call a family member "sweetie" and the HomePod jumps in with "I'm on it!")
HomePod Siri can't even adjust the music volume without pausing the music and talking back to me. So I just walk over and use the buttons. Like an animal.
It's a pretty good speaker but the Siri implementation is even worse than the other Siris. (Although I have to admit to being impressed last week when my wife and I each asked HomePod Siri to make entries in our calendars, and Siri recognized both our voices and did it all correctly.)
Oh! I noticed a change!
Siri has always pronounced my name wrong and I’ve always had to correct it when getting a new iPhone. HomePod didn’t have that capability so it just pronounced my name wrong and I had to live with it.
After this update, it seems to have carried over the pronunciation I had taught Siri on my iPhone.
It’s a small thing but really important to those of us with atypical names.
Siri has always pronounced my name wrong and I’ve always had to correct it when getting a new iPhone. HomePod didn’t have that capability so it just pronounced my name wrong and I had to live with it.
After this update, it seems to have carried over the pronunciation I had taught Siri on my iPhone.
It’s a small thing but really important to those of us with atypical names.
It’s not hair splitting, it’s about business strategy.
Apple has not decided to be an infrastructure provider specialist, so they buy this service elsewhere.
They have decided to have their own personal assistant and they have Siri. Good or bad is not the question, it’s their strategy.
they can make more difference with their competitors withs Siri than with storage space.
Do you think Apple will ever allow user control of calibration? I would simply love to hear what these things sound like with calibration turned off.
Anybody in here with Sonos speakers? I bought a few Sonos One’s to add to the garage and the backyard patio, and was quickly disappointed when Home integration is essentially useless. Example. When I had a HomePod within Home and assign it to my Living Room, I get a dedicated dropdown bubble of the ‘Living Room’ when hitting the AirPlay 2 tab. I assumed this would be the same with Sonos speakers when assigning them to a Room (Garage in my case), nope, it does not get its own dropdown bubble - only option is to manually select it from the iPhone bubble, which still ties some sound to the phone. Anybody find a fix for this? I’ll attach a screenshot below (Bedroom and Entertainment Room are both HomePods).
Anybody in here with Sonos speakers? I bought a few Sonos One’s to add to the garage and the backyard patio, and was quickly disappointed when Home integration is essentially useless. Example. When I had a HomePod within Home and assign it to my Living Room, I get a dedicated dropdown bubble of the ‘Living Room’ when hitting the AirPlay 2 tab. I assumed this would be the same with Sonos speakers when assigning them to a Room (Garage in my case), nope, it does not get its own dropdown bubble - only option is to manually select it from the iPhone bubble, which still ties some sound to the phone. Anybody find a fix for this? I’ll attach a screenshot below (Bedroom and Entertainment Room are both HomePods).
Attachments
This seems to have fixed my problem! Many thanks. it's a shame the transition from AM or set up to iTunes Match playback on the HomePod hasn't been made easier by Apple.
It took me a bit of relearning from using Siri with Apple Music on my HomePod, which Siri seemed to work better with, but I'm now using these same requests to play my music via Siri on my HomePod with great success! If only Siri could play Playlists - I've had little to no success getting it to.
And too bad one can't control or play iTunes Match / iCloud music from the Music app, independent from the iPhone or iPad or Mac, without being told this:
At least Apple could allow the users to use Siri and ask "more bass please" if they don't want to make an extra app for the personal setup.
Hey tfigs,
For me, it's worth it when companies' like BestBuy discounts them for 200 as they did again over the Memorial Day period. MacSales is another option for a tad more, albeit they arrive in a non-production box. No issues with the one I purchased from them.
Even with the finicky Siri performance, I like them. Being physically impaired, they are easier to justify. In my view, they are well made, and for my damaged military ears, the sound quality is exceptional. I'm up to six scattered around my place, filling holes whenever I can swing it.
For me, it's worth it when companies' like BestBuy discounts them for 200 as they did again over the Memorial Day period. MacSales is another option for a tad more, albeit they arrive in a non-production box. No issues with the one I purchased from them.
Even with the finicky Siri performance, I like them. Being physically impaired, they are easier to justify. In my view, they are well made, and for my damaged military ears, the sound quality is exceptional. I'm up to six scattered around my place, filling holes whenever I can swing it.
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