Some HomePod Owners Still Plagued With Setup Issues

[dan9700]

We need a disagree button.

he is right, why release it with the main feature stereo mode coming soon, nothing now days software related is on point, iOS 11 has been horrible and iPhone X only now with 11.3 is smooth the software is lagging behind the hardware, the homepod was delayed then still can't release a main feature on launch its shocking and im a apple sheep and proud but im being honest

 

[justperry]

its not I repeat the homepod having issues, its the stupid HomeKit, mines been broken with that error loading so weeks and apple can't fix it and cos my home app doesn't work I get that error on the homepod using my girlfriends Apple ID works fine so my iCloud has corrupted HomeKit and no way to reset it even apple can't so its useless I have left the page for 3 hours and no reset button shows so I have to return my homepod and go for sonos one, iOS 9 had a homekit reset button and iOS 10 and 11 they have removed it so its server side with your Apple ID its so annoying

Weeks, it's not even out for 1 week.

Starting all over again might solve the issue, or read why you have these problems in the original article, might have some apps/settings missing/wrong.

he is right, why release it with the main feature stereo mode coming soon, nothing now days software related is on point, iOS 11 has been horrible and iPhone X only now with 11.3 is smooth the software is lagging behind the hardware, the homepod was delayed then still can't release a main feature on launch its shocking and im a apple sheep and proud but im being honest

iOS 11.3 (GM) is not yet released yet but it's stable and much better.

 

[341328]

My setup was incredible easy. Hopefully this issue for some users can get fixed.

 

[dan9700]

Weeks, it's not even out for 1 week.

Starting all over again might solve the issue, or read why you have these problems in the original article, might have some apps/settings missing/wrong.

I mean weeks for my HomeKit issue its not the homepod problem, my HomeKit has that loading screen for weeks and even restore doing everything possible doesn't fix it and now I can't use home app thats why I can't use the homepod im not blaming the homepod for this issue its server side on my Apple ID I need to reset HomeKit but I cant

 

[The Game 161]

are that many really experiencing this? very surprising. mine took seconds.

 

[justperry]

I mean weeks for my HomeKit issue its not the homepod problem, my HomeKit has that loading screen for weeks and even restore doing everything possible doesn't fix it and now I can't use home app thats why I can't use the homepod im not blaming the homepod for this issue its server side on my Apple ID I need to reset HomeKit but I cant

Ah, Ok, hope it/you get it fixed.

I myself can't say I have much trouble with Homekit, doesn't mean it's perfect, you might start a thread here on MR to see if people can help you out, plenty of knowledgable and helpful people here.

 

[doelcm82]

I don't think this makes those having issues feel any better.

No, but it’s a reminder to those who are still considering getting a HomePod that those who are having problems are the exception, not the rule.

 

[citysnaps]

It just works...

Indeed it does. My HomePod set itself up automatically from my iPhone. In about a minute. Easiest setup ever for any tech device running on a network.

 

[LuciusMalfoy]

A quote for 2008, maybe? The 'just works' is more applicable to Amazon these days.

Definitely doesn't apply to Amazon.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

First and foremost, devices need to be running the latest version of iOS (iOS 11.2.5 or iOS 11.3 if you're on a beta) and both the Music and Home apps need to be installed on your device. HomePod also requires both two-factor authentication and iCloud Keychain to be turned on.

This raises another question about HomePod I hadn't thought about before. Normally one buys a speaker and uses it until it blows outs. Used properly speakers can last decades. They don't really wear out unless they are misused. But HomePod requires software. We've seen how Harmony has intentionally bricked remotes because they don't want to support them. I have an old 802.11n Airport Express that is no longer supported by Apple even though it works fine. I wanted to turn it into an Airplay receiver but I couldn't with current Apple software. Thankfully some soul made a workaround so I could configure it and not have to toss it in the landfill.

So what about HomePod in this regard. Apple usually doesn't support products after 7 years. This otherwise perfectly good speaker will go in the trash in 7 years. Seems wasteful. I mean if it had an external "in" jack even if Apple did want to support wireless after 7 years it could be used as a standard speaker. But as designed it can't.

 

[Delgibbons]

Days after the HomePod was released, there are still some new HomePod owners who are unable to use their new speakers due to HomeKit and Wi-Fi-related setup errors.

Because it's controlled entirely through Apple's Home app, HomePod connects to HomeKit and relies on a functional HomeKit setup to function properly. Based on reports on Reddit, the Apple Support Communities, and the MacRumors forums, there are a handful of different errors people are running into.

The most common issue seems to be error -6722 or a blank white screen when setting up HomePod, caused by a bugged HomeKit setup. According a HomePod troubleshooting document Apple published this week, there are several possible fixes for the issue.

Image via AppAdvice​

First and foremost, devices need to be running the latest version of iOS (iOS 11.2.5 or iOS 11.3 if you're on a beta) and both the Music and Home apps need to be installed on your device. HomePod also requires both two-factor authentication and iCloud Keychain to be turned on.

If these settings are enabled and you're still seeing the error message and a screen in the Home app that says "Loading Accessories and Scenes," Apple says to let the Home app load for 30 minutes or longer until an option to erase and reset app comes up. It's not immediately clear that you need to run the app for so long to get to that erase option, so make sure to leave it open and running for the full period of time to get to the reset menu.

We had our own issues here at MacRumors, and one of our HomePod setups wasn't fully functional. We weren't running into the error message above, but none of the HomePod's settings were available. We were able to fix this issue by opening up the Home app, tapping the location arrow at the top left of the device, and choosing the "Remove Home" option to nix our current HomeKit setup.

After doing that and creating a new Home with a HomeKit device before attempting to re-add the HomePod, we were able to successfully set up the HomePod with HomeKit, so that's something other HomePod users with issues might want to try.

Other people have had success resetting the HomePod and trying again, logging out of iCloud, and resetting Wi-Fi, but redoing the HomeKit setup entirely seems to be the most reliable fix. There are. however, instances where even these fixes have not worked for a bugged HomeKit setup, and in that situation, you're going to need to get in touch with Apple Support for more advanced troubleshooting.

If you're running into a different setup issue, such as a failed Wi-Fi connection, it's worth noting that HomePod requires a WPA/WPA 2 Wi-Fi network. Some MacRumors readers were having problems with HomePod not properly recognizing their WPA network, and a reliable fix appears to be unplugging the HomePod and tweaking Wi-Fi settings to disable both auto join and audio login. HomePod does not work with Enterprise Wi-Fi setups or public or subscription networks with sign-in requirements.

Having ongoing HomePod issues with your own HomeKit setup? Let us know in the comments.

Article Link: Some HomePod Owners Still Plagued With Setup Issues

Least of their worries.

#woodgate

I saw this on the BBC and thought you should see it:

Apple's HomePod speakers leave white marks on wood - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-43064772

 

[steve knight]

It did for me. Less that 5 minutes from getting the box off the porch to playing music.

me too along with my sonos my bluetooth speakers my airpods, my plant lights.

 

[cmichaelb]

Why would you need two-factor authentication for a Homepod to be setup?

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

This raises another question about HomePod I hadn't thought about before. Normally one buys a speaker and uses it until it blows outs. Used properly speakers can last decades. They don't really wear out unless they are misused. But HomePod requires software. We've seen how Harmony has intentionally bricked remotes because they don't want to support them. I have an old 802.11n Airport Express that is no longer supported by Apple even though it works fine. I wanted to turn it into an Airplay receiver but I couldn't with current Apple software. Thankfully some soul made a workaround so I could configure it and not have to toss it in the landfill.

So what about HomePod in this regard. Apple usually doesn't support products after 7 years. This otherwise perfectly good speaker will go in the trash in 7 years. Seems wasteful. I mean if it had an external "in" jack even if Apple did want to support wireless after 7 years it could be used as a standard speaker. But as designed it can't.

That's a key issue here. The marriage of the "smarts" that might be significantly replaced in a year or three and the "speaker" which- as you correctly say- may last 10-15+ years in normal use is a precarious one. Speakers are far from being like phones or tablets or even computers- they tend to last & last. There was a guy who posted a pic of his old iPod Hifi product from Apple "still going strong" about 10 years later. It could do that even if his iPod died because it came with an AUX port and worked purely as speakers with no hard dependency on software. This thing is not like that.

Here we have an apparently excellent speaker, able to get some amazing sound out of a relatively small box locked together with "smarts" that seem to be judged to be somewhere between "limited" to "good enough." Conceptually the speaker could still be a great speaker 10 or 15+ years from now. Will the software support that kind of hardware longevity, likely better than any other Apple product.

Personal note: I have the original Harmon Kardon Soundsticks (co-designed by Apple BTW), purchased when I bought my very first Mac way back in about Y2K. They similarly depend on a minor bit of "smarts" by connecting only via USB. They're on their 18th year, still sounding as good as when they were brand new... BUT, they don't seem to link consistently via USB anymore. Sometimes they are there, sometimes they are not. Unhook the USB, wait, plug it back in and they are playable again. In short, the "smarts" are failing me but the speakers themselves still sound new... 18 YEARS later. Of course, I can throw them away and replace them, but they are not broken and/or the sound has not deteriorated (aka "long in tooth", etc). Lesson learned.

 

[applezulu]

Why would you need two-factor authentication for a Homepod to be setup?

HomePod functions as a HomeKit hub. It’s kind of a good idea to have the highest level of security baked into the setup process for a device that could be used as the secure conduit to controlling locks and garage door openers.

 

[44267547]

I’m not sure about some of the complaints, Maybe it’s different for everybody, but this appears to be a seamless, similarly to how the AirPods paired with my iPhone. Literally within a minute or less.

 

[s15119]

A problem for a tiny minority of users, most of whom likely failed to follow the instructions, and, as usual for MR these, dozens of uniformed apple haters come out of the woodwork screaming that the sky is falling and apple is horrible and blah blah, woof woof. Sad.

 

[DNichter]

Did you feel you needed to post this? Does not "Some HomePod Owners Still Plagued With Setup Issues" mean that some owners have issues and others (like you) don't?

I think people post things like that because of the nature that these forums have become. Almost every other post, whether they have experienced this issue or not, is basically "apple is terrible, another quality issue, so much for it just works", stuff like that. For him, he wants to inform those people or anyone else reading these forums potentially interested in buying a HomePod, that for him works great, that he himself did not have any issues when he followed the necessary steps to set up the product.

 

[Delgibbons]

You can forgive the setup issues as it's priced very reasonably. /s

 

[applezulu]

I think people post things like that because of the nature that these forums have become. Almost every other post, whether they have experienced this issue or not, is basically "apple is terrible, another quality issue, so much for it just works", stuff like that. For him, he wants to inform those people or anyone else reading these forums potentially interested in buying a HomePod, that for him works great, that he himself did not have any issues when he followed the necessary steps to set up the product.

...and within a minute the post right after yours pops up as a perfect example.

 

[gijoeinla]

It just works...

Yea in fact it does. Mine is working as advertised and then some.

 

[prasand]

Perhaps Apple should check if those things are enabled before beginning the process (2FA, Keychain, etc). I imagine they'll update the process accordingly, but smh. I guess the HomePod is too relatively inexpensive to care about such details. /s

Tim: hey guys, we've already taken too long, let's just release it and wing it as we go.

 

[cmichaelb]

HomePod functions as a HomeKit hub. It’s kind of a good idea to have the highest level of security baked into the setup process for a device that could be used as the secure conduit to controlling locks and garage door openers.

Ahhh I didn't consider the type of other devices, thanks!

 

[tliede20]

The only issue I seem to have with mine is that when I try to tell siri I'm home, it says that it's a secure scene and cannot be authenticated? I'm sure this is a settings issue, but I'm not sure how to fix it.

 

[archvile]

No issues with any of my HomePods.

Question for you (or for anyone with multiple HomePods) - if you have a Mac, you know how iTunes can select multiple audio output sources at once - are you able to select 2 or more HomePods to play audio from simultaneously? I can have music play from the Mac, and HomePod at the same time, and they stay in sync. Just not sure if two or more would work.