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Some HomePod Owners Still Plagued With Setup Issues

I had to set up my HomePod twice. The first time it got stuck after consent / privacy page. I even saw a bug where their code is revealed. Funny to see they code what buying an Apple Music membership really is - an upsell.

I’m having a lot of issues with HomePod. For one, the time lag is about 5 seconds long. Video doesn’t sync with sound output.

It also goes silent regularly. On my iPhone, it shows HomePod is connected and playing music through AirPlay, but there is no sound. I have to disconnect and then connect again for it to work. Very frustrating.

Compared to a Sonos One I bought on sale in December (Williams Sonoma had it for $155), I think HomePod has better sound quality only at maximum volume, which is much louder than Sonos One. Other than that, I actually prefer Sonos. Maybe with Apple Music, HomePod can function the same one Sonos speakers do, like continuing playing music when a phone call comes in. But with AirPlay, it’s just like Bluetooth, and slower. Why doesn’t it work like Apple TV?

Now after multiple daily failures I’m thinking about returning my HomdPod. I would get a high quality speaker with no smart assistants. It would do the same tricks if I have it connect to my iPhone or Apple Watch. Plus I don’t use Apple Music - Spotify student promo is working great.
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farewelwilliams said:
you want old iOS versions to work with new products?
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Yes 100% of course I do.
But I'm not unrealistic.


If I go down to PC World today and buy a mouse, I'd expect it to work with and have drivers for Windows 10, Windows 8 (2012), and hopefully perhaps even windows 7 (2009) and that's going back many many years.

I'd not be stupid and expect it to work on Windows 95 or 98.

So as for Apple Products. Yes 100% I'd not expect a HomePod to work with an iPhone 1.
But it's ONLY a speaker to link and send music to. It's not 2018 cutting edge AI with a new form of interface/protocol.

I would fully expect something from Apple today, with at least work with versions of iOS from a few iPhone models ago.
 
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steve knight said:
we have been battling siri working at all she will just not respond sometimes. after comparing the home pod to our other speakers and even the B&O bluetooth speaker we had we realize it is just not that big of a deal. it would be good in places like the kitchen if we did not already have two sonos 1's in there. so though it cost me I got my wife this guy since it uses airstream and thats the feature she wants. plus with the B&O speaker it supports more connection options and will stream more services on its won. plus the nice big disc on top lets you do a lot of controlling my blind wife will love that.https://www.beoplay.com/en/products/beoplaym5
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for maybe they have problems? think all apple products are perfect? turn on voicer and you can see bugs all over the place.
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But 600 Euro? That's probably a bit rich for the guys here whining about the price of the HomePod. And B&O, while great on design, do not generally present really high quality audio output. It's good, but not great.
 
Piggie said:
This seems again one of those classic issues I keep reading about here.
When I've read some Apple folk don't like the latest iOS version.
Then others saying "well don't upgrade then if you don't want to, no-one is forcing you"

Then we get things like this, which means, whilst an iOS upgrade it not actually forced, is may as well be, ans if you dare to say no to the latest iOS you care going to have problems very soon.
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like when I updated my Safari on MacOS and not my iOS. Now I can't view opened tabs from my macbook unless I upgrade to iOS 11.
 
I had zero problems with set-up. Apple must have another hit on it's hands considering how many negative MacRumors comments there are. That only happens with hit products.
 
Piggie said:
I would fully expect something from Apple today, with at least work with versions of iOS from a few iPhone models ago.
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At the very least it could warn the user that it is not fully compatible with their outdated OS version, rather than produce cryptic error numbers. (Maybe it does provide such a warning?)
 
I wonder if Craig Federighi is being asked to write an apology letter now....
 
Grey Area said:
At the very least it could warn the user that it is not fully compatible with their outdated OS version, rather than produce cryptic error numbers. (Maybe it does provide such a warning?)
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HomePod comes with printed set-up instructions. Step 1 is "Connect to Wi-Fi and turn on Bluetooth on your iOS device with the latest version of iOS". So Apple clearly tells people set-up requires the latest version.
 
gnipgnop said:
HomePod comes with printed set-up instructions. Step 1 is "Connect to Wi-Fi and turn on Bluetooth on your iOS device with the latest version of iOS". So Apple clearly tells people set-up requires the latest version.
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Sure. But this is the most valuable company in the world, priding itself on seamless integration and it just works and what not. I think some check like "if os_version < '11.2.5' then abort and print(update_recommendation)" rather than "-6543" is not too much to ask for.

(And maybe it is there - I do not know, as I have not experienced this problem. But the article does not indicate it is.)
 
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Grey Area said:
I think some check like "if os_version < '11.2.5' then abort and print(update_recommendation)" rather than "-6543" is not too much to ask for.
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Why would they need to reference a specific number if they say "latest version of iOS"? You check to see if there's an update available for your device, if "no" then you're set.
 
DNichter said:
I actually see this as a user issue, sort of. I would be willing to bet that these issues stem from either not being on the correct OS or not having the necessary apps installed. Apple gave people the option to remove stock apps and that obviously causes some issues. At the same time, Apple needs to figure out a way that doesn't make setting up a completely separate product so reliant on these details. I mean, they know their users, I am sure this stuff came up prior to release. Anyway, still a black eye on the sake of Apple.
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You’re listening to music wrong.
 
budfoot said:
When the iPhone4 came out and had antenna issues, Apple told its users “they were holding the phone wrong.”

You’re blaming the user for HomePod not working correctly.
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If you read my post, I am blaming both. The user for not having the right OS or apps installed and Apple for making the set up process so entwined with other services.
 
DNichter said:
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.
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No, he doesn't ever have any issue with any Apple product (acceptable) and pretends to minimize whatever issue raised by anyone else (non acceptable). His post history is clear enough
 
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sofila said:
No, he doesn't ever have any issue with any Apple product (acceptable) and pretends to minimize whatever issue raised by anyone else (non acceptable). His post history is clear enough
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Okay, I didn't get that from his post. I still don't see an issue with someone stating that they haven't run into the issue that the thread is about. I see an issue with people commenting that a product is trash without having the product/issue themselves.
 
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All that setup failure, and it leaves a white stain behind, this product is AMAZBALLZ! Just don't put it on a doily to protect your furniture otherwise it will sound like some $50 bluetooth speaker.
 
I bought an Amazon Echo Spot yesterday and had similar issues.

These companies promise easy setup etc... but it seems like they really don't test their apps before launch.

The Apple Watch 3LTE took a week of messing about with EE to get working correctly. They blamed Apple and said they were not being supported either. Had to generate multiple virtual sims and if the watch / phone connected to wifi during the reg process it would just break.

The Echo Spot, I had to log into Amazon.com (im a UK customer) and transfer my Kindle account to the .co.uk website to get it to work. ( not documented ). This was after multiple resets and eventually found others with the same issue.
 
abi12a said:
Right? I find it ridiculous Apple does not provide the MAC address of a Wifi device anywhere on the device or paperwork
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They should have tested their crap! Quality control is not there or rushing out products to catch up with Google and Amazon.
 
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