Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Still the worst Apple product I've bought in years - and I own one at least of just about everything.

"Hey Siri" is useless when you're in earshot of a HomePod and have multiple family members with Apple devices.

I really like my 2 Sonos SL I got on sale in stereo. The HomePod sounds good, but it's so frustrating.
 
Awesome sound quality?
[automerge]1592859519[/automerge]

Alexa is a train wreck
[automerge]1592859578[/automerge]

Never heard of your problem. You can reset them
[automerge]1592859666[/automerge]

no. And use headphones at the beach, no one wants to hear your music
[automerge]1592859777[/automerge]

not sure if I catch your meaning. HomePod is a great device, I love Apple Music and Homekit. Doesn't this just open it to more people? Is that a bad thing?
The fanboying. All of your points can be rivaled by better looking more cost effective hardware from other companies. Your only valid point was the Alexa diss.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Td1970
So will Big Sur include native Airplay 2 support? I'd like to be able to stream music from my desktop Mac to my stereo paired Home Pods.
 
  • Like
Reactions: agenda893
So will Big Sur include native Airplay 2 support? I'd like to be able to stream music from my desktop Mac to my stereo paired Home Pods.

This is the biggest problem of the homepod. Stereo Pairs should be treated like any other output source by the OS, not just the Music app.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BadgerRivFan
They won't admit to it, but they've just waved the white flag.

Which begs the question... What is the point of HomePod if Apple isn't bringing any innovation to the market?


You beat me to it. Apple is on the defensive. Their golden goose has been killed by foreign flu virus. They simply can't operate with their noses in the air any longer.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Babygotfont
I'm honestly shocked to learn they didn't have this already. I love Apple for many things, but glad in this case I opted for Sonos.
 
"Hey Siri" is useless when you're in earshot of a HomePod and have multiple family members with Apple devices.

I have not seen an issue with this. HomePod is the only device that responds to anyone who says “Hey Siri”. You won’t activate other people’s iPhones or Apple devices.

Potentially if people are using Hey Siri to try to interact with their own iPhones or Apple devices, it might activate the HomePod, but not really sure what issues that might cause aside from temporarily pausing the music.

With that said, Apple could easily tweak this in a future software update. By using the technology they have to distinguish user voices (iPhone Siri only activates for phone owner) and integration with Family Sharing and other Apple devices, they could allow the HomePod to go quiet (which you’d want if someone is trying to specify something to Siri on any device anyway) and take no action if a phone or another Apple device is responding to the inquiry (essentially set up primary / secondary Siri hierarchy for devices). They could also add another layer to this and improve Apple Ecosystem integration by allowing for users to specify which device they want the inquiry to go to. Either by allowing “Hey iPhone”, “Hey iMac”, “Hey MacBook”, “Hey HomePod”, etc. or keep “Hey Siri” and allow user to specify device to utilize within request. Such as “Hey Siri, send message to X from iPhone”. Could potentially also automatically determine which device handles the request based on the request type, or if proper cross device integration, wouldn’t matter which device handles the request as long as it gets done. Like using your HomePod to send a message and determine Which iPhone or user it is based on unique voice, etc. Could even manage level of permissions by voice, such as limiting who can control HomeKit functions by family member or known user vs guest.

Apple could do so much more with the HomePod, and really be innovative if they improve integration across their ecosystem. I was hoping they would announce Homepod 2 at this event. They really need a portable version, similar to UE Boom vs UE Megaboom and allow for integrated battery usage and/or plugged in usage. They also need better integration across Apple Devices and full Siri functionality on all devices using smart inquiry routing mentioned above. Allowing all devices to know who is speaking and handling requests across devices really opens the door to possibilities and improves usability of smart assistants.

I would love to use Siri to do things I need to do manually now, such as “Hey Siri, connect MacBook to iPhone hotspot”. Like “Hey Siri, send link to current webpage on iPhone to John Appleseed” (for sharing Zillow listings), or take a screenshot and send to someone, or send a photo or video viewing on phone to open on iMac or MacBook to view or edit. Or changing device music or video is playing on from
iPhone to iMac / iPad / MacBook / HomePod / Apple TV.

Potential is basically endless and all of the above should be within realm of possibility given current technology. I’m just not sure why they haven’t done this yet.

To anyone at Apple reading this, I’d happily accept a paid part-time consulting position for ideas like this and plenty of others. Your innovation has really been lacking lately, I can help you here. Not even looking for much, just some side cash and maybe some free Apple products to assist with further testing and product / service development.
 
Last edited:
Come on SiriusXM, get this going. And while you're at it, get Siri integration on CarPlay working too... a feature which has been available since iOS 13 released!

agreed. I love several stations and it would be nice to have native integration on HomePod. For CarPlay I'd rather not have to leave CarPlay to use the SiriusXM interface or check outside temperature
 
Awesome sound quality?
[automerge]1592859519[/automerge]

Alexa is a train wreck
[automerge]1592859578[/automerge]

Never heard of your problem. You can reset them
[automerge]1592859666[/automerge]

no. And use headphones at the beach, no one wants to hear your music
[automerge]1592859777[/automerge]

not sure if I catch your meaning. HomePod is a great device, I love Apple Music and Homekit. Doesn't this just open it to more people? Is that a bad thing?

Alexa is a train wreck?! Lol! Let me introduce you to Siri!!

Alexa may not be perfect, but it’s miles ahead of, “I’m sorry I can’t do that...”
 
For CarPlay I'd rather not have to leave CarPlay to use the SiriusXM interface

Exactly. It's even worse for me, because I have a streaming/app-only package. I have to fumble through either the Sirius app on my phone or in the CarPlay interface to get to a channel. I just want to tell Siri to "play Classic Rewind on Sirius" and be done. The API has existed for nearly a year now... come on SiriusXM get with it!
 
a very welcome addition! i am frequently delighted by the sound quality of my homepods & look forward to being able to use spotify & bbc sounds natively.
 
And now they are another Sonos. I like Sonos better thanks to Alexa.

Alexa on Sonos is crap.
[automerge]1593037657[/automerge]
Not all of us visit public beaches, haha. That was just an example. Other examples: I could pair two HomePods or three at a party, or I could use some at my business when sharing a video/etc. It would open the device for much more.

Fanboys like you are annoying. I love Apple, but I'm not a blind sheep applauding a failing product that even Apple does not know what to do with anymore.

Apple has made many functional updates since the HomePod came out and is adding more. Hardly a failed product.
 
They won't admit to it, but they've just waved the white flag.

Which begs the question... What is the point of HomePod if Apple isn't bringing any innovation to the market?

HomePods also function as home automation hubs just like the AppleTV does. I’m using Siri as the “UI” for all the smarthome stuff I run on Hoobs and Hubitat.

I’m doing this because Apple’s stance on Privacy is well recognized, and Google and Amazon Voice Assistants aren’t as great as folks make them out to be.

And they are decent speakers too. I just prefer to listen to most of my music on the Sonos system I have because that Sub of theirs is just ridiculous.
 
Can anyone see the option to change the default music service to Spotify?
This was the only reason I was excited about this update and I can't see a way to do it.
 
I hope this means anything and not just apps Apple approves.

When (hot place) freezes over. They WANT control - no pr0n apps (phone sex app for the HomePod? Not likely!), and want to be able to enforce (a) their privacy and system integrity standards, and (b) that they make a boatload of $$, esp. from anyone with the temerity to use their competitors (high subscription rates, etc). And I gotta say, even if I don't like SOME of that, I think it's 1000% legitimate behavior. Even the massive subscription cut, although I think insofar as a subscription doesn't significantly use their infrastructure, and there's SOME initial price for the app (rather than the subscription substituting entirely for that), the high subscription markups are such a cause for complaint and such a turnoff as to be counterproductive in the long run - if they lose customers and/or have to pay millions more to lawyers, that kind of eats up all those $$.
 
When (hot place) freezes over. They WANT control - no pr0n apps (phone sex app for the HomePod? Not likely!), and want to be able to enforce (a) their privacy and system integrity standards, and (b) that they make a boatload of $$, esp. from anyone with the temerity to use their competitors (high subscription rates, etc). And I gotta say, even if I don't like SOME of that, I think it's 1000% legitimate behavior. Even the massive subscription cut, although I think insofar as a subscription doesn't significantly use their infrastructure, and there's SOME initial price for the app (rather than the subscription substituting entirely for that), the high subscription markups are such a cause for complaint and such a turnoff as to be counterproductive in the long run - if they lose customers and/or have to pay millions more to lawyers, that kind of eats up all those $$.
? Huh?
 
Does someone know if there are any News in this topic? Especially Amazon/Prime musis would be interesting for me.
maybe there are some rumors? 😌
 
I’m still waiting for this.....
Really, do you just not know it works great? To add pandora, open Pandora app to add iheartradio, open iheartradio app, it even automatically creates shortcuts to play a specific station. to add Spotify.....oh wait they just whine and complain and don't actually do anything - largest streaming service in the world and don't hire decent developers nor pay the artists - pathetic. but they could if they wanted to.

Also, go to home app home settings and click user - set default music service there. I tried it as soon as I heard Pandora released support - worked great. But if you want Spotify, LOL keep waiting, but that is on Spotify, not Apple
 
  • Like
Reactions: DiamondarBoss
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.