Joe Rossignol, MacRumors:
Apple today updated its HomePod tech specs page with a new Audio Sources section that lists all of the ways in which the speaker can stream audio, setting the record straight on some conflicting information.
Here’s the list, from Apple’s HomePod tech specs page:
- Apple Music
- iTunes Music Purchases
- iCloud Music Library with an Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription
- Beats 1 Live Radio
- Podcasts
- AirPlay other content to HomePod from iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, and Mac
A week from tomorrow!
UPDATE: The question came up about Bluetooth being in the wireless section, but not listed as an audio source. I asked about it on Twitter, the response was, Bluetooth too compressed for the quality HomePod requires. So Bluetooth is used for pairing, but not music transfer.
One item of confusion – the tech specs wireless section mentioned BT 5, but BT isn’t listed as a source.
I can’t wait!! I love music and have great equipment in my living room but the bedroom sound system is more bare (Pioneer receiver, and B&W speakers (L,R,Center). Also, the bedroom is 27×15 so it will also be interesting to see if it really does fill up the room – and of course the quality of the sound.
So if most of my music is ripped from CD, this is just a good sounding dumb wireless speaker (airplay). Only if I get my music from Apple or pay them a fee to store my music can I tell Siri to play x song by y artist.
Therefore, I still have zero interest in buying one.
Can’t wait as well! I have been holding off on buying any equipment for the bedroom of my new home waiting for the HomePods.
I have a relatively pricey stereo setup in the basement (Devialet Gold Phantoms), a “decent” 5.1 system (Denon receiver, 5 in-ceiling B&W speakers, and a Martin-Logan down-firing sub) in the living/dining/kitchen.
Let’s see how the HomePods fare when “stereo mode” is enabled.
Don’t you have to AirPlay your ripped CD on iTunes to your speakers TODAY?
What’s wrong with AirPlay? I intend to use it instead of SIRI even though I’m having Apple Music. I find it much more convenient.
ah, update makes sense. BT for connection handshakes only.
Okay, Airplay it is. Guess I’ll wait for refurbed unit pricing. 😉
I have dumb speakers that I am happy with. The reason, for me, to get a homepod would be the ability ask for a particular song verbally instead of having to muck around inside Itunes.
That ability, which AFAIC is really the only reason to get a homepod if you already have high quality speakers, is denied me because my music is ripped from CD rather than purchased or rented from Apple.
Always buy refurb, unless you find a good deal on used.
Just curious, how do you currently listen to music through your speakers? CD player, network player, Roon, etc.?
Isn’t BT compressed? So the BT is only there for the handshake, and after the devices negotiate a connection the files will be transferred as-is, and the HomePod will decode with its internal DAC?
One tries.
When signing up for iTunes Match/iCloud Music does Apple still rifle through your iTunes Library and screw up all your personally selected album artwork and custom ID3 tagging you’ve done over the years?
No BT A2DP support is … actually kinda limiting.
I mean, if you wanna stream from anything that isn’t an Apple product, ever.
Which some people occasionally do, I’m led to believe.
(And … too compressed?
What, mp4/AAC/ATRAC and 721kbit isn’t good enough? For audio? Seriously?
I mean, it’s not 2008 – things don’t just support the SBC codec for A2DP.
They should just say they didn’t want to or don’t care to.)
My itunes library lives on a computer. That computer has speakers plugged into its audio out jack. This is hopelessly old school, I know.
Sweet. The tried and true, wired connection. Analog or SPDIF? I think SPDIF has some odd limitations like no DSD support. You get to improve sound using better power cables and analog cables! That stuff is always fun to tinker with.
I found out about the incompatibility in my 4K Blu-Ray/SACD player’s user manual. Basically due to copyright issues SACD’s with higher-quality tracks will fall back to the CD tracks when I connect my stereo speakers with SPDIF-input..
I thought there are software that fixes those problems. Though I never care enough to get them fixed. I probably should..
Never had that happen to me.
That setup (speakers plugged directly to computer) is very very likely you’re having inferior sound than HomePod, unless you sacrifice your computer plugged directly through high end audio setup.
So there.. that’s one reason.
You never experience a free way of listening to music through AirPlay both from being wireless & through any iOS devices, not just the one that’s plugged in, so that’s another. You can be in any room & can have your music whenever & wherever you want to. That’s pretty great.
I add my album in one by one & never have this problem. It will present a list of album & you can choose what matches yours. And if nothing matches, it will upload yours.
Takes time but I’m old school, and now I’m having iCloud library that’s just as neat as my local one.
“I mean, if you wanna stream from anything that isn’t an Apple product, ever.”
Then you won’t buy this. What’s hard to understand.
It’s like an Apple Watch. You won’t buy it to use with ‘anything that isn’t an Apple product’.
Maybe it was Apple Music that was ruining peoples’ libraries. Thanks for the “one-by-one” tip.
Keeps in mind that it’s iCloud Music Library that’ll ruin your library, not Apple Music.
The trick is when you subscribe to Apple Music & it asks you to turn iCloud Music Library on, DON’T! Keeps it off on all your devices so it doesn’t have a chance to scan your existing library.
Now create a blank library on one of your Mac with the same Apple ID for Apple Music. In this blank library turns on iCloud Music Library then add your album one by one. When you’re complete & have a cloud library that you’re satisfied with, delete everything in Music on your iPhone, iPad, Apple TV etc. & turn on iCloud Music Library on those devices.
Apple Watch is the #1 selling watch on earth. only works with an apple product.
normals don’t care about the philosophical grievances techies seem to have.