Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Z3man

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 19, 2012
794
400
UK
The HomePod is not advertised as being able to play UK radio stations, but you can play Smooth radio and Capital radio, so i was just wondering if there are any others. I hope one day we can get the BBC radio stations..

I will add them to this list if there are any others can come up with.

Capital Radio
Smooth Radio
Capital Extra
Heart
Gold
LBC
Radio X (you need to say radio ten)
 
Last edited:
It appears that it’s limited to Global radio stations. All are also playable on iOS devices through the music App. Interestingly I can’t find the right voice command to get Classic FM to work on HomePod but the others work fine
 

Attachments

  • 9BFDD056-DA79-4649-839F-5341C2E416BB.jpeg
    9BFDD056-DA79-4649-839F-5341C2E416BB.jpeg
    581.7 KB · Views: 909
  • Like
Reactions: v3nt
I have added those to the list, i can't get Classic FM to work either, but i will blame Siri as she is pretty thick

Seems like all the stations we can get are all from the same network.

Shame they all have loads of adverts.
 
Last edited:
But anything you can get on your iOS device you can stream to the HomePod with AirPlay right?
 
The HomePod is not advertised as being able to play UK radio stations, but you can play Smooth radio and Capital radio, so i was just wondering if there are any others. I hope one day we can get the BBC radio stations..

I will add them to this list if there are any others can come up with.

Capital Radio
Smooth Radio
Capital Extra
Heart
Gold
LBC
Radio X (you need to say radio ten)
I just asked HP to play capital fm but he said he can’t do that with HP. How are you getting those stations to play?
 
I just asked HP to play capital fm but he said he can’t do that with HP. How are you getting those stations to play?
I'm finding it a little hit and miss. Heart FM will flat out refuse to play for me most of the time. But generally, Hey siri listen to capital/capital FM/capital radio does the trick
 
I just asked HP to play capital fm but he said he can’t do that with HP. How are you getting those stations to play?
I had the same problem, you have to drop the FM and just say "Play Capital Radio".
[doublepost=1518945835][/doublepost]
I'm finding it a little hit and miss. Heart FM will flat out refuse to play for me most of the time. But generally, Hey siri listen to capital/capital FM/capital radio does the trick
For Heart FM you have to say "Play Radio Heart".

I sometimes think Siri is just being bloody awkward.
 
Last edited:
Oh, that's interesting, Didn't think that would work with any station other than by Airplay. Radio 1 is probably our only regular source other than AM, so 'Hey Siri, play radio 1' would be a handy addition for us.
 
It would be great if we could get the BBC stations. Anyone know why we cant, after all they are free in the UK.

Is it just Apple being Awkward.
 
  • Like
Reactions: v3nt
It would be great if we could get the BBC stations. Anyone know why we cant, after all they are free in the UK.

Is it just Apple being Awkward.

You can stream them from your phone to the HP with AirPlay.

Until I saw this thread, I didn't think Siri worked with anything other than Apple Music and HomeKit stuff.
 
Hoping they add native support for BBC Radio at some point, listen to 6 Music and 5 Live alot.
Failing that, Tunein ?
 
  • Like
Reactions: v3nt
You can stream them from your phone to the HP with AirPlay.

Until I saw this thread, I didn't think Siri worked with anything other than Apple Music and HomeKit stuff.
You can stream anything to it as far as i know, but Siri won't control it.

You can stream Spotify to it, but Siri won't play ball.
 
You can stream anything to it as far as i know, but Siri won't control it.

You can stream Spotify to it, but Siri won't play ball.

I'm confused. I thought you were saying you could get some radio stations to play using Siri?
 
Interestingly if you ask it to play BBC Radio 1 it does play the R1 playlist, which is pulled from R1.

Wonder if that was a conscious decision or just Siri choosing (for most people) the wrong thing.

All definitely interesting though, seeing as I don’t think we thought the HP was doing any of this at launch.

I was quite surprised the news is from the BBC or Sky, rather than just Siri reading it.
 
+1 for BBC Radio only radio stations I listen to and it would be great to be able to listen to radio on the HomePod.

As all the competition does, you would think they will have to add it.

Fingers crossed
 
Hoping they add native support for BBC Radio at some point, listen to 6 Music and 5 Live alot.
Failing that, Tunein ?

This thread has this contribution from Andrew Webb, BBC Worldwide VP Product Strategy:

"....we do have the ambition to integrate with HomePod and allow our audience access to BBC services, but as yet, we know of no plans to allow third party applications to operate via the HomePod/Siri ecosystem. This is slowly opening up, if you are on the latest version of iOS and you ask Siri for the News, Sport News or Business News you now receive BBC News services. So, we do see a future evolving but we are not privy to their future intentions in this area. There are other considerations other than technical limitations. All BBC content available via 3rd party platforms must comply to the BBC's regulated distribution guidelines to ensure value to the license fee payer.

These are subject to commercial negotiation and often require work from both parties in order to be able to implement. So, the slightly longer answer is, not yet, we do have the ambition though, however there are technical hurdles that need to be crossed and commercial conditions that need to be satisfied."
 
Thanks for that Mike, sounds a long way off doesn't it.

I will be returning my HomePod tomorrow as i don't even like listening to it because of the overpowering bass.

If Apple release an update so the bass can be controlled i won't hesitate to by another one, but with so many people other than me being so happy with the sound quality i cant see them releasing anything any time soon, so definitely returning mine.

I am going to go the Alexa route, it will be a lot cheaper and i will have Tunein radio as well, so will get all the BBC stations i believe.
 
This thread has this contribution from Andrew Webb, BBC Worldwide VP Product Strategy:

"....we do have the ambition to integrate with HomePod and allow our audience access to BBC services, but as yet, we know of no plans to allow third party applications to operate via the HomePod/Siri ecosystem. This is slowly opening up, if you are on the latest version of iOS and you ask Siri for the News, Sport News or Business News you now receive BBC News services. So, we do see a future evolving but we are not privy to their future intentions in this area. There are other considerations other than technical limitations. All BBC content available via 3rd party platforms must comply to the BBC's regulated distribution guidelines to ensure value to the license fee payer.

These are subject to commercial negotiation and often require work from both parties in order to be able to implement. So, the slightly longer answer is, not yet, we do have the ambition though, however there are technical hurdles that need to be crossed and commercial conditions that need to be satisfied."


Thanks for the info. At least it sounds like there’s a glimmer of hope, even if it’s a small distant one.

I’d love (live) BBC Radio integrated into Apple Music. Guess I’ll have to make do with the BBC Radio playlists for now.
 
Does anyone know if it's possible to use Workflow for this....so the steps would be...

- Open BBC iPlayer
- Select AirDrop
- Select HomePod

Which will make it a one button action to send radio to a HomePod until (and if) Siri enables it. I use workflow, but I struggle to setup multistep tasks with it....I tried the above but failed to do it, which could just be my failure.

I really want a HomePod, but am holding off a bit. I don't know why I'm holding off really, as I have Sonos and that isn't exactly a one button press either!!
 
Not sure if that was a slip of the tongue or not, but AirDrop is for sending files between devices, but this is using Airplay to stream from one device to the other.

You might also need a step to listen live between opening the app, and selecting AirPlay.

Let us know if you get it to work though, as it sounds as though it would make it that bit more convenient.
 
Okay, so from the radio iPlayer app I can choose my HomePod. I had to turn the volume up a fair bit and I won’t be getting rid of my radio alarm any time soon but it’s a start.
 
Just unboxed mine got it as a gift; the only thing Siri does'nt do at all after acknowledging any music request is actually play the music (defeats the purpose):(; plays every music, radio & podcast only via AirPlay. Siri responds promptly to every other command aside from music
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.