HomePod Gaining New 'Ambient Sounds' Siri Feature This Fall, Radio Station Support Launching September 30

[cashville2400]

Not a big deal Amazon products have been ding this for years. Right now my Amazon devices do everything I ask them to do. I have them control lights TVs and multiple things. If the HomePod was more open to Bluetooth or Spotify, I would have more than one, because they sound good. But I do not love Siri or Apple Music so I will be skipping this until both of them happen.

 

[Laptopdog78]

It took them AGES to get to this but yes totally agree, this is something I was requesting for years, not sure why it took so long and why Siri doesn't have it.

I still prefer Siri over all for home automation just because I prefer Homekit and the combination with Homebridge to get basically anything you can think of working. Google lacks a lot of these features and Alexa is a mess in comparison. Google definitely leads the way in terms of asking stuff that it basically goes to it's own search engine to answer that's for sure.

The HomePod (at least in a stereo config) is more than loud enough for me though, I think the bass is ridiculous for a little speaker (probably too much and they should offer a "low cut" night mode.
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Yes they do, they don't even sound as good as budget hi fi speakers. They're boomy, muffled, lacking depth and clarity. They've just very average mainstream speakers all in one speakers. They're sort of in par with those flashy hifi's you got teenagers in the 90s. It's madness that for the same sort of price you get a pair of Adam A5X's.

Maybe you listened to some older Sonos? Maybe in the wrong setting? The new ones have truplay tuning to sound different in every environment you place them. You can then alter to you own taste if you wish... turn up, or turn down the boom as you call it etc. Honestly, the sound that they produce on top of the loaded smart features make me a massive fan of them.

 

[Nigel Goodman]

Hopefully I can ask Siri to “play bbc radio 2” now after all this time

Unfortunately I don't think you will be able to. The BBC has said that all their radio stations will be removed from TuneIn shortly which is what will be used to play radio on the HomePod. Unless, of course, Apple decide that we can run apps (skills/shortcuts) directly on the HomePod without needing Airplay.

However, there is one way to listen to Radio 2. Get the BBC Sounds app for your iPhone and create a Shortcut. It's not clear how you do this, but it has to be created in Settings>Siri & Search>BBC Sounds.
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what is the point or the advantage in their pulling TuneIn support?!

Because TuneIn will not share user data with the BBC. The BBC want to know who is listening to their stations, and when.

 

[Laptopdog78]

Unfortunately I don't think you will be able to. The BBC has said that all their radio stations will be removed from TuneIn shortly which is what will be used to play radio on the HomePod. Unless, of course, Apple decide that we can run apps (skills/shortcuts) directly on the HomePod without needing Airplay.

However, there is one way to listen to Radio 2. Get the BBC Sounds app for your iPhone and create a Shortcut. It's not clear how you do this, but it has to be created in Settings>Siri & Search>BBC Sounds.

Go Sonos. You will just choose the bbc sounds app as a skill of the speaker.

 

[Brenster]

Because TuneIn will not share user data with the BBC. The BBC want to know who is listening to their stations, and when.

Ugh. Nice to know that the BBC’s desire for user telemetry data trumps actually being able to use the service I pay for on my own devices....

In which case I’ll use Sounds on my phone for car/work listening and also AirPlay2 for lounge AVR/HomePod. The morning alarm on the Sonos (and possible replacement by HomePod) can stay on Scala and therefore TuneIn though.

 

[dougw1025]

I just said "Hey Siri, play WBAB" (my old Long Island rock station) and it came right up. Says it is provided by TuneIn. I can also just ask it for Nature sounds and it does that too.

That brings back memories

 

[Mtmspa]

Good for you.

So you think only haters should Post here?

 

[Bdub12]

I was able to get channels from both TuneIn and iHeartRadio to play here. A bit of a mouthful to get certain channels to play: Hey Siri, play 106.9 Capital FM Fredericton.

I tried a few shortened versions of the name, but you need to say all of that to get the channel to play. CBC Radio 2 doesn't seem to be available yet, but I can get local CBC Radio 1 to play.

 

[Zaren]

My HomePod and Apple Watch gained the radio station feature on Sep 10, before the keynote. I wonder if its being randomly rolled out while in testing.

Where would find this feature on your watch (and what version watch)?

 

[840quadra]

Excuse me? I merely commented on the fact that they are delaying more features (which they are) and followed it up with a “What’s going on over there”. Then backed up the original intent of my message after you seemed to misinterpret the meaning. I NEVER implied they should release things not ready or that delaying is bad - I am questioning on the cause of the unexpected delays, nothing more.

Actually your response to my initial comment totally changed the context of this conversation. My original post wasn’t attacking you, it was a comment on the Apple customer base and Media following them, not a comment on @Mascots, a MacRumors user.

What I guess I don’t understand is where your later comment came from.

"Release too early and unpolished" is a lot different than "Missing the original time table for announced features and delaying them".

Curious where I said anything for or against their original time table? I simply stated that I would prefer they have features and software polished before it is released (my original post) which it appears you agree with.

I didn’t think, nor did I infer that you wanted them to release broken hardware or software. If that is what you read in my response, I apologize, though I don’t know how you would come to that conclusion.

Anything else you want to read out of my comment is on you.

I have similar feelings there.

 

[Mascots]

My original post wasn’t attacking you, it was a comment on the Apple customer base and Media following them, not a comment on @Mascots, a MacRumors user.

Well what do you know, I'm a part of that Apple customer base and you quoted my post as an example to highlight your remark about how that group of people can never be happy with Apple's actions. Sounds pretty direct to me and will defend my words when pulled into some for some context that they aren't even about.

Your comments allow for absolutely no criticism on Apple's delays and I think that's beyond ridiculous. Apple presenting a slew of features and delaying major ones until the last minute deserves someone asking "what's going on?". Yet, my words are boiled down to "users are upset they have to wait." Of course I'm going to take that as personal when you quote me.

Curious where I said anything for or against their original time table? I simply stated that I would prefer they have features and software polished before it is released (my original post) which it appears you agree with.

I misread your original comment and thought it was conflating two issues: Announcing new features to market and delaying already announced features last minute. I wanted to be sure you understood where I was coming from because I thought that'd help you understand my point.

Here is the most explicit way I can say it, because I'm tired of this rigamarole: I am happy that Apple isn't releasing unpolished features but am not happy with Apple's prediction of the timeline which it's normally quite good at. I am curious at what is causing the delays in roadmap because they are impacting a lot of Apple's product line this fall.

I don't accept that apology and am done here.

 

[mudflap]

It's ability to pick up what I say is the most impressive thing to me. It really is an impressive bit of work.

It hears me so well that I was wondering if it was secretly networking with the mics on my iPad, iPhone and Mac to catch my voices from wherever I am in my home. But I powered off all the devices except the HomePod, blasted RevCo at 90% volume, counted 25 feet away, quietly spoke "hey Siri what's the weather looking like?" and it responded instantly. It was so impressive it kinda freaked me out.

As an ex sound engineer with a degree in in the field, concentration in recording, I thought this would only be possible with an expensive shotgun mic. I was wrong.

 

[840quadra]

It hears me so well that I was wondering if it was secretly networking with the mics on my iPad, iPhone and Mac to catch my voices from wherever I am in my home. But I powered off all the devices except the HomePod, blasted RevCo at 90% volume, counted 25 feet away, quietly spoke "hey Siri what's the weather looking like?" and it responded instantly. It was so impressive it kinda freaked me out.

As an ex sound engineer with a degree in in the field, concentration in recording, I thought this would only be possible with an expensive shotgun mic. I was wrong.

I am amazed by that too, but happy it does hear in those instances. I do notice that it will sometimes dip the audio volume to better hear what command is coming in, but it is only in situations where the audio I am listening to is really busy (quick song with lots of instruments). It actually is better at this than my Google Home, but to be fair, that device was far less expensive.

Overall Siri as a product has come a long way, but has a ways to go in some areas.

 

[ipedro]

Despite what the haters here keep saying, Apple is not giving up on HomePod. They're putting a lot of effort into it. It's only been out for a little over a year and a half and it's already received several updates with new features added regularly.

That's no surprise given how conversational computing is going to be the future of how we interact with computers. Even if HomePod were a development platform, it's worth keeping regardless of how many Apple sells, even if they were sold at a loss.

 

[iGuru=)]

I still can’t believe I spent 3K on four Homepods for my home.

I wonder how you've spent 3K on four HomePods, when price per unit is $299

 

[DeepIn2U]

I honestly forgot the HomePod even existed.

Curious what speaker system (if WiFi) do you use?

 

[Unsunghero83]

Test!!

 

[Unity451]

Curious what speaker system (if WiFi) do you use?

I have a surround system in the common area of my house like most people, as well as various speakers throughout that I can link together to play the same thing. I also have the original bose mini soundlink which I've made wifi with an old airport express.

I'm not saying that I don't see the value of a HomePod, actually, I think it's pretty cool. My point was that it's currently a random offshoot "project" product like the AppleTV was for so long. Very few people have it, and isn't talked about much. For context, AppleTV turned 13 this month, and it has only began to really make headway the last several years.

 

[Paultmaine]

Unfortunately I don't think you will be able to. The BBC has said that all their radio stations will be removed from TuneIn shortly which is what will be used to play radio on the HomePod. Unless, of course, Apple decide that we can run apps (skills/shortcuts) directly on the HomePod without needing Airplay.

However, there is one way to listen to Radio 2. Get the BBC Sounds app for your iPhone and create a Shortcut. It's not clear how you do this, but it has to be created in Settings>Siri & Search>BBC Sounds.
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Because TuneIn will not share user data with the BBC. The BBC want to know who is listening to their stations, and when.

I’m fed up with being forced to pay £12 monthly for the bbc, I can think of better things/channels to watch for less or free.

 

[Nigel Goodman]

I’m fed up with being forced to pay £12 monthly for the bbc, I can think of better things/channels to watch for less or free.

£12.88 actually! Personally I would be lost without the BBC and would easily pay more. When I get to 75 (not long now!) I will continue to pay whether I need to or not.

“In this market, services that are distinctive and different will stand out. And two vital things make us different. Firstly, we have a unique mission and purpose, all audiences – young and old – believe in it.

“Purpose and values matter today more than ever, as people pick and choose services for ethical reasons as much as economic ones. Secondly, no one offers the range of content, in so many genres, on so many platforms, as the BBC.

“We’re not Netflix, we’re not Spotify. We’re not Apple News. We’re so much more than all of them put together.”

 

[drdaz]

It's a weird thing. I was able to get my HomePod (and iOS 13 phone) to play radio stations from TuneIn last week through Siri. Unlike others though, I can't find those radio stations by searching in the iOS 13 Music app.

And today, my HomePod and phone refuse to play those same radio stations using the same Siri commands. I can still trigger them from my 'Recently Played' list in Music / iTunes though.

It's all rather confusing.

And about the BBC Radio channels, I was able to trigger them using Siri both on my HomePod and iOS 13 phone. Siri would say that, say, BBC Radio 1 was now playing, and nothing would play. On the phone I get an error (attached). But this could be because I live in Denmark I guess... have you tried asking Siri to play your BBC stations in the UK?

 

[BittenApple]

I love my HomePod . Best Apple product since the AirPods and it has made my faith in Siri become stronger than ever.

 

[The Game 161]

For some reason there was no update available when I tried it when iOS 13 was originally launched.

 

[Zachari]

I honestly forgot the HomePod even existed.

I use mine every day for music consumption, watching movies with stereo pair, alarm. Honestly it's my favorite product Apple has released in a while.

 

[TwoBytes]

I was hoping for the update by now.

Am I the only one really looking forward to this software?