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recondations; a HomePod in a NONE iTunes house
- Thread starter jeyf
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Read MacRumors buyers guide. Probably the most relevent line in the summary to you is: "Without an Apple Music subscription, HomePod is able to play content that's been purchased from iTunes along with Beats 1 radio content and podcasts. HomePod will only be able to play content that's been directly purchased using iTunes, rather than any music in an iTunes library."
So you can't play any music from your NAS music library.
Link to full article here on MacRumors: https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/homepod/
Sounds like something from the Sonos range will suit you better if you want to stream directly from your NAS.
It's apparent, now, all smart speakers are only worth it for the music you bought on that service or if you plan to pay monthly for a service (for maximum compatibility or usefulness).
Expect Amazon and Apple to quit selling downloaded and physical media songs and CD relatively soon. Maybe not months but not a lot of years either. Streaming is here to pay. I mean stay.
Streaming content is a good thing but I have decades of music i have collected and it is just not going away.
Ok since everyone has a smart sarcastic answer let me give you the real one...
1. As you have it set up you can not play the music controlled by voice with a HomePod.
2. You can use the app of your choice to play your NAS music on your iOS device (like an iPhone) and then use Airplay (yes, even Airplay 1) to send that music to any HomePod in your house.
3. You could also choose to use iTunes (gasp!) and point it at your NAS library folder (no need to modify it or stop using software of your choice) to build an iTunes index of your music. This would be a one time thing, you would never need to use iTunes again. Then pay $25 per YEAR for “iTunes Match” service and you can then use voice to control and stream any of your music to the HomePod. If in the future you subscribe to the more expensive Apple Music service the iTunes matching is included in the cost and you can cancel iTunes Match.
1. As you have it set up you can not play the music controlled by voice with a HomePod.
2. You can use the app of your choice to play your NAS music on your iOS device (like an iPhone) and then use Airplay (yes, even Airplay 1) to send that music to any HomePod in your house.
3. You could also choose to use iTunes (gasp!) and point it at your NAS library folder (no need to modify it or stop using software of your choice) to build an iTunes index of your music. This would be a one time thing, you would never need to use iTunes again. Then pay $25 per YEAR for “iTunes Match” service and you can then use voice to control and stream any of your music to the HomePod. If in the future you subscribe to the more expensive Apple Music service the iTunes matching is included in the cost and you can cancel iTunes Match.
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https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/12/apple-preparing-to-stop-selling-music-through-itunes/
And
https://9to5mac.com/2017/12/12/future-of-itunes-and-apple-music-comment/
I realize even if true that doesn’t mean Amazon would follow suit, but if Apple does this and the backlash isn’t severe , and Apple Music gains a dramatic increase in subscribers then I can see other companies which own both physical media and streaming to follow suit. There are a lot of precedences:
- Apple announces the end of floppy drives being built into the computer, both laptop and desktop.
- Apple removes CD/DVD’s from computer line.
- Apple removes flash support from phones/pads and scales back support on computers.
- Apple removes 3.5 mm audio jack from iPhones.
If the concept bombs then others won’t do it, and Apple probably would reverse the decision. But Apple wants wireless communications and the streaming services (including iCloud for backup and storage) that wireless requires. If the increase in AM and iCloud is sufficient to cover the loss of physical hardware sales dropping, especially if Apple initiates an iCloud only wireless requiment, then the other combo physical media/streaming media companies will need to answer. I do not claim to have read about iCloud only for Apple devices, but they do seem to be locking users into using only their services and it’s not a far leap to imagine prohibiting Amazon Cloud or Microsoft or Dropbox from being a selection for storage on Apple devices. And jailbraking is on a severe decline right now. People already invested in Apples’ systems may scream but stay.
The iTunes stopping physical sales has sources, the rest, admittedly, is supposition on my part. And if record companies throw up too many roadblocks or customers rebel then it won’t go anywhere even if it is in their plans.
Do you think Apple is going to release this as a secret memo to Forbes or Times or Newsweek? Maybe you want a CES quote, sort of off the record from an Apple executive? So just what would you accept as a reliable source? 9 to 5 Mac is a site that covers Mac and Apple in a similar way to Macrumors and isn't known for fabricating things out of thin air. If this is written down anywhere Apple isn't releasing it and if it does get out and Apple isn't ready then they will deny it. You are not going to GET 100% verifiable proof from any tech site. Do a search yourself. Over the last couple of years there has been rumors of Apple quitting the download sales business on multiple websites. Including one that appeared here on Macrumors:
https://www.macrumors.com/2016/06/08/apple-preparing-for-end-of-itunes/
This article, from 2016 gave a 3 to 4 year time frame. And yes, Apple denied it soon after.
Apple is definitely pushing streaming. Apple can make more money from people streaming and doesn't make as much when you play music from a file physically located on a devices hard drive. Even iTunes Match requires a yearly fee, so even if most of the music you use with that service is your own music uploaded you end up paying repeatedly to use it. And with Apple Music you have to pay for streaming every month. If you have the songs physically downloaded onto your device or computer you may not use anyones streaming service. And you're not locked into using Apple Music, at least not yet. So yes, when multiple sites mention Apple is at least LOOKING at ending the ability to download and store to your computer that you can use offline I think they are. And when Apple says they have no IMMEDIATE plans to stop I take that to mean no more than that- no immediate plans. Long term can be a different story.
Besides, they really can't do this alone. They don't own the actual broadcast rights to the music, at least not yet. If the record labels say 'No' then Apple can't do it. But I think there is enough smoke to suspect a fire, even if its not visible yet.
No, its not.
The homePod is for people who subscribe to Apple Music, and/or use iTunes. You fall outside of the projected usage of the targeted demographics. Why not get a product that better fits your usage needs?
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