HomePod Siri music control -- iTunes or just Apple Music?

[Chupa Chupa]

I haven't read anything on this but maybe I missed it -- can you use HomePod to control music on your Mac via iTunes or does it only work with streamed Apple Music? My reading is Apple Music only. You can play music stored on your Mac via Airplay but you can't control it. Is that correct or can you say "Play XYZ" and I will find it on your Mac's iTunes?

 

[576316]

Siri should be able to bring up anything that exists in your iCloud Music Library, just as she can on iOS. So that would include your Apple Music tracks and anything you've bought from iTunes. That said, I'm almost certain the HomePod delay is down to Apple trying to attach more services so it probably won't be restricted to just iTunes/Apple Music on launch - which would have been a mistake, had they launched in December. It's too expensive for it to offer so few services - I wouldn't be surprised if HomePod ended up with some sort of App Store mechanic where music/radio services could be installed - that would be more elegant than the way Amazon and Sonos are doing it.

Apple have got to nail the software side of this. Sonos produce great hardware but terrible software, Amazon are better with software but the hardware is cheap. Apple's whole deal is software-hardware uniformity.

 

[RickInHouston]

I prefer Sonos Software, unlike JarScott. Open to most, if not all, music platforms. Granted, the last update is crap, but they will get it fixed. They don't have as many irons in the fire. All services are available on Sonos.

If you have your own speakers, how to you incorporate into apple ecosystem? Attach them to a laptop? a router? I'm not sure.

 

[cynics]

If you have your own speakers, how to you incorporate into apple ecosystem? Attach them to a laptop? a router? I'm not sure.

Depends on the speakers really.

If you have some relatively small speakers you can, like you said connect them to your Mac or AirPort Express (router).

If you have nice speakers you can connect them to a AirPlay and/or BT receiver amp. Nearly all Apple devices including Macs support both AirPlay and Bluetooth. If you are staying in the Apple ecosystem AirPlay would be preferable.

If your speakers are in an entertainment system you can use an AppleTV connected via HDMI (or older model via Toslink).

If they are AirPlay or BT speakers you can connect directly too them. Keep in mind Sonos is supporting AirPlay 2. So you could stay within their ecosystem when it comes to speakers.