[Question for HomePod owners] Does it make sense to use HomePod without Siri?

[fatality789]

Background: I have never used Siri (or any other form of similar AI). It is always turned off on all my devices, because I don't really like talking to machines.

However, I am more than attracted to try the HomePod due to its alleged superior sound quality. I know that it is designed to be used together with Siri, but I do not plan to use HomePod for anything else but playing music. I mainly use iTunes (with my own local files) and Spotify. I do not have Apple Music subscription.

Will I be able to play music from both these sources on HomePod (using the iPhone or Mac Book)?

Also, will I be able to fully control what is played through HomePod from these two sources using just my devices and not using Siri?

Thanks in advance.

 

[darthbane2k]

Yes you can use AirPlay to send audio from your Mac , iPhone and iPad direct to HomePod. You can disable Siri in HomePod settings.
However I would ask what’s the point on spending the premium on HomePod if you plan to use it this way?Especially as you are a Spotify subscriber. In your case I would recommend a pair of Sonos Ones for the same price as one HomePod

 

[fatality789]

Yes you can use AirPlay to send audio from your Mac , iPhone and iPad direct to HomePod. You can disable Siri in HomePod settings.
However I would ask what’s the point on spending the premium on HomePod if you plan to use it this way?Especially as you are a Spotify subscriber. In your case I would recommend a pair of Sonos Ones for the same price as one HomePod

Exactly the info I was looking for! Thanks! To be frank, the only thing I am interested in is the high quality sound they are promising. I also found out that it doesn't even have an audio jack (I guess they really started to hate them) so I will not be getting the HomePod. I will try out Sonos Play 5 and how it works out.

 

[maflynn]

so I will not be getting the HomePod.

Yeah, I didn't get buying a HomePod but not needing (or wanting) one of the major selling features. I think there are much better and less expensive options available if Siri is not going to be used.

 

[Nimoy]

On a related point, I'm wondering if HomePod can play music locally without using Siri. Airplay is fine but it's taxing on battery life and it also means that ALL audio output from the phone will run through HomePod (what if I want to watch a video quick on my phone but don't want to interrupt the music I'm streaming to HomePod?)

I'm hoping there's a way to tell HomePod what to play from my phone using the Music app but still have that music play locally from the HomePod.

 

[potentmf]

On a related point, I'm wondering if HomePod can play music locally without using Siri. Airplay is fine but it's taxing on battery life and it also means that ALL audio output from the phone will run through HomePod (what if I want to watch a video quick on my phone but don't want to interrupt the music I'm streaming to HomePod?)

I'm hoping there's a way to tell HomePod what to play from my phone using the Music app but still have that music play locally from the HomePod.

I could be offbase with this answer because I don't own an Apple Watch or AirPods. But when the Apple Watch streams music does it just play the music or does it play every sound coming from the phone? My thinking is the playback would be something similar. Again, I could be totally wrong.

 

[Nimoy]

I could be offbase with this answer because I don't own an Apple Watch or AirPods. But when the Apple Watch streams music does it just play the music or does it play every sound coming from the phone? My thinking is the playback would be something similar. Again, I could be totally wrong.

I think you're right. I know when you're Bluetooth-streaming, every sound is played, including alerts. But I think Airplay ignores other sounds.

Even so, my point about the battery life remains. You should be able to use the phone to tell the HomePod what to play, without having the phone be the source of the music. Hopefully this is the case!

 

[potentmf]

I think you're right. I know when you're Bluetooth-streaming, every sound is played, including alerts. But I think Airplay ignores other sounds.

Even so, my point about the battery life remains. You should be able to use the phone to tell the HomePod what to play, without having the phone be the source of the music. Hopefully this is the case!

Good luck!

The reviews that I've read haven't been very favorable when it comes to Siri but they all say the speaker is awesome.

 

[bob24]

On a related point, I'm wondering if HomePod can play music locally without using Siri. Airplay is fine but it's taxing on battery life and it also means that ALL audio output from the phone will run through HomePod (what if I want to watch a video quick on my phone but don't want to interrupt the music I'm streaming to HomePod?)

I'm hoping there's a way to tell HomePod what to play from my phone using the Music app but still have that music play locally from the HomePod.

Good question! What would makes sense to me is if the existing Remote app could control the HomePod for music playback (i.e. you chose what you want to play in the app, but then it plays directly from the HomePod and the phone/iPad has no role in the playback, just as a fancy remote like with the Apple TV).

 

[Nimoy]

Good question! What would makes sense to me is if the existing Remote app could control the HomePod for music playback (i.e. you chose what you want to play in the app, but then it plays directly from the HomePod and the phone/iPad has no role in the playback, just as a fancy remote like with the Apple TV).

So I did some digging and there is a feature that allows you to control the music playback on your Apple TV directly from your phone, without using AirPlay. You can also access this from the Playback pane on Control Centre. So chances are good that HomePod will behave like an Apple TV in this respect!

Edit: Confirmed from Apple.

 

[ignatius345]

Good question! What would makes sense to me is if the existing Remote app could control the HomePod for music playback (i.e. you chose what you want to play in the app, but then it plays directly from the HomePod and the phone/iPad has no role in the playback, just as a fancy remote like with the Apple TV).

I don't have a HomePod, but this is exactly how I use my AirPlay speakers to play music from my iMac in iTunes -- I use the Remote app to control playback. Works very well, and any iOS device on the network can be used as a remote.

Also worth noting here that AirPlay can be added to any set of speakers that has a line in by attaching an AirPort Express (lots on eBay) or an Apple TV.

 

[JPGR_Fan]

Stereo HomePods plus one other, Apple Music, iPhone, Mac equals music nirvana. I never expected this to happen in my lifetime. I don't use or depend on Siri that much. I'm sure there are other solutions now, but this is one not to be discounted.

 

[gigaguy]

Siri is both the engine and the drag for Homepod use, but the speaker's sound is the main feature for me. Voice control is intrusive, it's dumb (the music mutes to listen to commands) and Siri is no genius. By the time I've fine tuned the volume or other commands using Siri I can easily miss 15-30 seconds of the song, annoying.

BUT if you can get 2 Hpods cheap, do it for the audio quality. Siri is not mandatory, I can control all my iTunes music from my Mac or iPhone. If you pay for Match, Apple Music, or have lots of purchased iTunes songs Siri makes a little more sense I guess for it has more use in those scenarios.

An equalizer and remote would be great to have. The sound is a little too bass heavy and mids a little lost, but the amazing smoothness with no distortion is very satisfying. good luck.

 

[Mercury7]

I am using my appletv remote a lot even to navigate music , mostly because Siri will not work when I am connected to appletv... kinda wish it would switch by voice... kinda hard to feel like they are 2 devices but obviously apple has decided not to marry them in that way

 

[GDF]

I would not. The Homepod is an excellent speaker for its price, but I also expect a smart speaker to be useful too and so far Siri is not compared to Amazon Alexa. It has gotten better since last year, but it still has a ways to go and also the companies that sell the smart home devices need to get onboard for Homekit too, like Logitech, TP-Link, etc... for the Homepod to really be usefull as an all around device.

Mine will probably be going back, which is too bad, as I am as big of an Apple fanboy as anyone. But, when I pay a premium price for something, I expect it to do everything as well or better than its competitors.