r/HomePod Aug 09 '23

Why is the User Experience with HomePods so Bad? Discussion

https://preview.redd.it/h8agl1h6g3hb1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bbd88905bef88f24b5b1ff9d199586b584e64263

Hey everyone,

I'd like to start this post off by saying that I am NOT an Apple hater. I have exclusively used apple products for work and home use for 15 years now. I have a Max Studio, a MacBook Pro, an iPad Pro, and iPad mini and have had every iPhone since launch with the exception of 2.

Now that thats out of the way, I have a genuine question to ask: Why are HomePods so unreliable. I have 5 HomePod Mini's and an OG HomePod at home that I use to play music via Airplay 2.

The experience using these is honestly not great. When I ask it to play music half the time it will tell me it's not connected to the internet or that Apple Music isn't available. The other half the time when it does play (and hear me correctly), it fails to play in the rooms or zones that I specify. Same happens when doing it via my iPhone through the Apple Music or Youtube Music app. It'll tell me that "so and so" HomePod isn't available. I'd say 70% of the time it refuses to play on all the HomePods that I specify causing me to have to stop the music and try again till it works.

EDIT: In case I wasn't clear above, I know that the HomePods are connected to the internet because the issue is very intermittent and they are the only devices on my network with any connectivity issues. Another proof is that sometimes I will be streaming music via one of the HomePods and, while its currently playing a song, ask it to switch to another one and it will tell me its not connected to the internet, then continue to stream that song, the next one, etc.

And I'm purposely leaving out the inconsistency of Siri, which I think is a whole other area of discussion. I've controlled for that by using my phone and manually specifying the HomePods via the airplay menu.

The other issue is the OG HomePod. I bet it fails to do anything 95% of the time. I'll get a message saying my iPhone couldn't connect to the OG HomePod or that it's not available. When using voice to control it, it fails in the same way. Basically it has the same issues as the new HomePod Minis but it's much worse.

I've spent many hours troubleshooting this by factory resetting the HomePods, making sure they have a great wifi connection, ensuring they are on the same network as my other devices, unpairing and repairing, banging my head against a wall, standing upside down while doing a yoga pose and pairing, praying to Steve Jobs, etc. Essentially I've done my due diligence following every recommended fix for these issues that I can find and have come to the conclusion that I've tried everything, and if I haven't, Apple shouldn't make it this hard to make their crap work properly.

A few GOOD things:

I LOVE the sound quality. Its ability to analyze any room and adjust the sound accordingly is incredible. Nothing sounds too loud or boomy. Its so freaking well done. Apple's sound engineers are on another level. Also its ability to produce full depth base while preserving the highs is great. You really get full quality depth of sound out of a very small speaker.

All I want is when I ask for something, for it to respond consistently and for the HomePod to play quickly in the rooms that I specify. I don't think that is too much to ask.

I hope that I've made it clear that I want the best for these products and I know that Apple is capable of it but the user experience is very frustrating.

From the research ive done, I know my experience is not uncommon. Why do you think Apple let this slip so bad? I would have thought the release of the HomePod mini would have breathed new life into the product bringing updates and features with it but that didn't happen. Am I off base with any of this? Thoughts?

EDIT2: This post summed up my experience very concisely so I thought id include it here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/HomePod/comments/15mgpm2/comment/jvg7uta/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

110 Upvotes

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21

u/[deleted] Aug 09 '23

[deleted]

8

u/awildjm Aug 09 '23

This post very accurately sums up my experience.

10

u/More_Pineapple3585 Aug 09 '23

I did HomePods exclusively for years, but they are now all boxed up and I am using Sonos. The experience is like night and day. The homers here will downvote me, but I encourage you to try them out if you haven't already. Just grab an Era 100 and go from there.

3

u/[deleted] Aug 09 '23

[deleted]

4

u/More_Pineapple3585 Aug 10 '23

I don't know of many who are cross-shopping the HomePod mini with Sonos, it is typically compared to the HomePod, where Sonos comes in for $50 less (at least here in the US, comparing the latest models, Era 100 and HomePod 2nd gen).

3

u/otter6461a Aug 10 '23

If I could do it over I’d do Sonos. And I’ve been 100% Apple since 1989

2

u/UpgrayeddShepard Aug 10 '23

Does Sonos have access to Siri? That’s the big deal for me.

1

u/Severe_Worldliness_1 Aug 11 '23

No it does not. This to me is a huge problem. There is so much freedom in just asking Siri to control the home or play music.

1

u/iSteve-O Aug 12 '23

It sucks that ecobee is literally the only device that can do this. Sonos devices would be perfect for 3rd party Siri and I just don’t understand why more manufacturers don’t do it, like they do for Alexa and Google.

I can’t imagine why we don’t have more Siri enabled smart devices, especially any device with airplay 2. Ecobee can’t be so far ahead of everyone else or so tight with apple.

I just don’t get it. Ecobee has had Siri in its thermostats for at least 2 years and they’re still the only other device beside the HomePod.

This is actually the only reason I DO NOT buy Sonos. If they had Siri in them I absolutely would. A shame.

1

u/Severe_Worldliness_1 Aug 11 '23

If Sonos had better HomeKit integration and I could invoke Siri, then this would be a no brainer.

1

u/BobbyRey77 Aug 18 '23

One of my neighbours has a SONOS system with multi-room speakers and home theatre etc. along with automated blinds. He controls the lot with one HomePod mini LOL. You just do what works best.