iOS 13 Siri Live Radio Feature Already Working for Some HomePod and iPhone Users in Germany

[MacRumors]

At WWDC in June, Apple said iOS 13 would bring live radio requests to Siri from iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and Radio.com, but it looks like that rollout is already underway ahead of the software's release in the fall.

Image via Macerkopf.de​

Macerkopf.de this morning reports that some users in Germany are having success asking Siri to play live national radio stations over HomePods running the latest official software and via Apple Music on devices running iOS 12.

It's not clear how far the company has got in laying the groundwork for live radio Siri requests elsewhere, but Apple says that come the official global rollout in the fall, Apple device owners will have around 100,000 radio stations to choose from.

Other new features destined for HomePod this fall include Handoff for music, podcasts, and phone calls, as well as individual voice recognition for up to six users.

Apple says the latter feature will enable a personalized listening experience and personal access to messages, reminders, lists, and calendars, as well as the ability to make phone calls from the user's contacts.

Article Link: iOS 13 Siri Live Radio Feature Already Working for Some HomePod and iPhone Users in Germany

 

[iLoveDeveloping]

I would like this on my iPhone natively. If the iPod could do it would love my phone too.. Surely with all the antennas in there it can pick up radio. Just saying, even in emergencies it would be useful, instead of relying on an app and data.

 

[DannyBres]

Anyone know if BBC stations will work?

 

[Mike MA]

Currently you have to state „Hey Siri play [station X]. Only a small number is working yet, mentioning radio etc won’t work reliably. Apple Music subscription seems not needed, at least when running on a HomePod.

 

[johnyslats]

Anyone know if BBC stations will work?

They're working well on iOS 13 (viewable by search) and this suggests they're working on iOS 12 via Siri. Phrasing is picky but at least you can create a Siri shortcut (in iOS 13, at least)

 

[geekonthepc]

BBC radio stations working for me in the Music app today in the UK (iOS 13b2).

 

[OutGolfn]

They're working well on iOS 13 (viewable by search) and this suggests they're working on iOS 12 via Siri. Phrasing is picky but at least you can create a Siri shortcut (in iOS 13, at least)

Using the iOS 13 beta I can confirm you can search for radio stations. Searching for KISS will bring up multiple iheart radio kiss fm stations around the United States.

Was able to search by typing a few more stations from radio.com and Tunein. Larger cities were coming up LA, Boston, Atlanta, etc

For now it’s hit or miss, as I’m sure they are slowly adding them into the framework.

Very much like the 100k live radio stations being added into Siri and iOS.

 

[redgreenski]

I do find myself listening to radio in the morning. I am not 100% convinced no the homepod yet. I find apple music still lacking.

 

[yass31]

Also working in France, just asked my HomePod to play NRJ Radio and it works!

 

[jake.au]

Also working in Australia. I said “play radio station KIIS 1011”

 

[KJH]

I just checked and it’s working in the US now. It’s working on my HomePod and phone. Siri still had trouble but if you say “radio station” after it that seems to help.

 

[jent]

I would like this on my iPhone natively. If the iPod could do it would love my phone too.. Surely with all the antennas in there it can pick up radio. Just saying, even in emergencies it would be useful, instead of relying on an app and data.

I'd like it too but to clarify it sounds like this is about internet radio. Actually picking up FM/AM stations via radio waves isn't supported, it sounds like, and instead this is live-streaming via wifi or mobile data.

 

[Ashwee]

Workings in the UK too with my local station

 

[Aston441]

Four years after Alexa...

innovation!

 

[RealMonster]

Working for CBC radio 1.
[doublepost=1561989643][/doublepost]

Working for CBC radio 1.

Worth noting: it only works on my iOS 13 iPad, not my iOS 12 iPhone.

 

[podycust]

am am to get it to work on iPhone running iOS 12

 

[shieldcy]

I dont live in the UK but I tried to ask Siri to play BBC radio just out of curiosity.
And it worked fine for me too.

BBC radio stations working for me in the Music app today in the UK (iOS 13b2).

 

[santirguez]

Also working in Spain!

 

[prycop]

BBC Stations work here in UK (Wales) - "BBC Radio5 Live bought to you by Tune-in" (iOS 13b2 on iphone and ipad)
Can't get it to play BBC Radio 4, it plays BBC Radio 4 Extra instead.

Radio 5 seems to have about 25 seconds delay compared to real time.

 

[justperry]

Asked Siri (English) : "Play live Radio" , got Deutchlandfunk playing.

Non of my local channels seem to work.

Happy that at last we have an easy way to listen to "Normal" Radio, Hardware Radio on the iPhone should have long time ago be enabled, now it needs data, if they just had the (Hardware) radio enabled by default it would not cost people any data.

 

[danmart]

I would like this on my iPhone natively. If the iPod could do it would love my phone too.. Surely with all the antennas in there it can pick up radio. Just saying, even in emergencies it would be useful, instead of relying on an app and data.

The length of the aerial is really important in radio reception, and that varies based on the frequency of the signal being received. For FM you need a fairly long aerial. A ‘half wave’ FM aerial is typically 1.5m long (approx 59in).

As the frequency of the signal increases, the size of the wave length (and therefor the preferential size of the aerial) decreases. The wave band used for phone signals is much higher than FM radio. FM in the UK is 88 to 108 MHz. 4G is between 700 and 2600 MHz depending on which band you are using.

That is why your iPhone can pick up cellular radio with its physically short aerials but to receive FM you would need to have an external aerial. This used to be achieved by using the headphone cable but we all know how that turned out...

BBC Stations work here in UK (Wales) - "BBC Radio5 Live bought to you by Tune-in" (iOS 13b2 on iphone and ipad)
Can't get it to play BBC Radio 4, it plays BBC Radio 4 Extra instead.

Radio 5 seems to have about 25 seconds delay compared to real time.

Are you on the Beta? What command phrase are you using, please?

 

[racerhomie]

Four years after Alexa...

innovation!

no one cares. Stick with your surveillance hardware.

 

[DblHelix]

It is working in the US as well. I have better luck searching in apple music than asking Siri to play station x though. There is 1 station in the SF Bay that is on iHeart that does not appear to be on the iphone yet though. KZSU 90.1

 

[medavecool]

Working in Connecticut on both HomePods and iPhone.

 

[AppleUser2]

Great to hear this is being rolled out. Hope they support it under the “radio” section in AM rather than just listing curated AM radio stations.