r/HomePod • u/UpsideDownOfYoutube • Sep 27 '24
Apple doesn’t care about HomePod? Discussion
I‘m a huge fan of HomePod, having 2 OGs hooked up to my Apple TV and multiple around the house.
However, as I often feedback to Apple about my experience I don’t know if they even read/care.
Their feedback site includes the latest models, but the form only lists firmware versions up to 16.5.
I have sent them feedback about it, bit as always didn’t get a response. Do you feel like they care? It’s not top priority to them, I get that.
Do you have any experiences with Apple answering feedback? The OS 18 update also seems very small.
33
u/grantbwilson Sep 27 '24
My minis are so bad.
They’ve stopped recognizing voices, all the shortcuts I set up don’t work any more. I’ve reset them dozens of times.
You ask what the weather is and it tells you to check your iPhone. Can’t even get timers right anymore.
Last night I went into the office and asked the one in there to turn the lights on. Nothing, no response, no light. It’s plugged in, but haven’t talked to it in a few weeks. Guess it’s done? Didn’t have time last night to troubleshoot.
I wouldn’t buy one again.
4
u/goldfouledanchor Sep 27 '24
Make sure you clean them once in a while. Those mics get clogged up with dust over time.
3
u/luke_wal Sep 28 '24
Hold up… how would I go about dusting the microphones? Where even are they on the units?
2
u/BraddicusMaximus Sep 28 '24
I just give it a good suck with the vacuum every so often with the soft brush attachment.
5
1
u/Vivid_Application577 Oct 01 '24
Restart everything. It sounds like your WiFi is the issue: Read this
https://support.apple.com/en-us/102766
Make sure everything is up to date (OS 18).
1
u/grantbwilson Oct 01 '24
Unfortunately, I’ve gone through all this. To the point of replacing my router with a very high end one and customizing all the connections and fixing the IPs for the minis. Nothings been better.
Honestly, going at them with the vacuum might be my next shot.
6
u/ADHDK Sep 27 '24
Try having an iPad Pro 10.5. Got that new just before they announced the new ones, it’s faster than an iPad 7, abandoned. No iOS18
2
u/TRexHasTinyArms Sep 28 '24
Could have been worse, you could have chosen a Galaxy Tab S3 and stopped getting updates 4 years ago.
2
u/ADHDK Sep 28 '24
My 6 year old iPad being abandoned for being “7 years old” is why Apple can get fucked before I buy a 3 year old iPad mini.
1
u/Kylecoolky Sep 29 '24
Yeah literally had to get an M2 iPad Pro in order to stay supported. The difference is WILD though and it’s 100% worth it, just a bit expensive.
1
u/ADHDK Sep 29 '24
I’m waiting for the new mini as it suits my use case better now, but after my 6 year (released 7 years ago) iPad was just abandoned, I won’t be buying a mini that was released 3 years ago.
-1
3
u/Xanduur_999 Sep 27 '24
My biggest problem with my original HomePods is that half the time when I ask you to play something on Apple Music it says it can’t connect to Apple Music. I don’t have this problem with my new versions in my Game Room and they use the same Wi-Fi. The original ones are only a few feet away from my Wi-Fi hub.
1
u/discostur Sep 30 '24
Having the Same Problem … original Stereo Pair connected to Apple TV and always Problems with the Connection to Apple Music! Only on the OGs, new ones and Mini are working
1
u/Vivid_Application577 Oct 01 '24
Whenever HomePods are paired to an Apple TV for audio, Apple Music goes wonky. The best workaround is to use the Music app on the Apple TV for your requests - you can even use the Siri Remote. Otherwise, unpair the HomePods from the Apple TV. I know this is a pain, but DRM (lawyers) are idiots.
3
u/discostur Sep 27 '24
Just 5 minutes ago i hade the Same Experience … opened a feedback ticket about the HomePod and saw the Software drop down … After that Opened another ticket about the missbehavuoir of the Website / Formular …
3
u/AndroTux Sep 28 '24
Coincidentally, I submitted feedback regarding the missing software version about a week ago. So if they care, they don’t act fast. But I doubt I’m the only one who ever pointed that out. So no, they don’t give a fuck.
Currently, my HomePod mini can’t even play a playlist without randomly skipping songs in the middle of playback, which is kind of one of the core features of a HomePod.
2
u/Worth-Ad9939 Sep 28 '24
They don’t care. Seems like it will require a class action lawsuit to get them to deliver what they advertise.
I share feedback with a lot of detail near daily, issues with audio quality, audio artifacts, automation failures. None of it works as advertised even under ideal conditions.
They embedded their tech deeply into my life and I appreciate their stated privacy principles but the quality of their products has declined. they no longer prioritize the values Steve led with. Seem more focused on shareholder value.
2
Sep 27 '24
Wait till they bring the new ones out for the new A.i see what they say then
33
u/NCRider Sep 27 '24
"I'm sorry, who is speaking? You'll need to unlock your iPhone first"
2
u/shawnshine Sep 27 '24
Are you the only one who uses them? If so, just disable Recognize My Voice for other users. It’s not necessary in my home. Then you never heard this ˙ᵕ˙.
2
u/IrixionOne Sep 27 '24
iOS 18 has solved some of the issues I’ve been having. That being said I get the frustration that Apple isn’t really doing much with the product line. I really hope they spend they put more R&D into the product because while it’s a fantastic speaker, it does have its shortcomings.
2
u/InGeorgeWeTrust_ Sep 27 '24
To be fair, Apple doesn’t care about feedback for any product other than Mac it seems. And even then it’s slow to come.
Siri needs help and because of that HomePods do too.
Ideally this AI investment will bring a new generation of HomePods with a better experience.
2
u/behOemoth Sep 27 '24
The original HomePod is a very nice piece of hardware, but it’s completely bad regarding having a polished interface and it’s software bricking left and right as the newest software versions is causing troubles and it’s hard to hardware reset them as Apple is not allowing any diagnostic interface unless you make one for yourself.
4
u/time-lord Sep 27 '24
I mean, all you need to do is try and use them to figure out that Apple doesn't care about them!
3
u/mctrials23 Sep 27 '24
“Hey siri, what’s the time” “Sorry, there seems to be a problem with my connection”
It’s the fucking time Siri, every OS knows the time.
Oh and so help me god if Siri plays completely the wrong song one more time. It’s not even adjacent to what I asked for. Astonishingly bad far too often. My favourite is when I ask for a massively famous song and somehow get a version by another random artist.
1
u/ale9918 Sep 27 '24
Yesterday I asked Siri to turn on a one hour timer and started playing a song called one hour that I’d never heard of in my life
1
u/Strange-Story-7760 Sep 27 '24
How bad is your wifi? 🤣
1
u/mctrials23 Sep 28 '24
Usually good. Very occasionally shit and very occasionally there is none because of an ISP issue. I would still expect to be able to set alarms and ask the time without the internet.
2
u/hotinhawaii Sep 27 '24
I finally bought an Echo. That was my solution.
2
u/EmotionalStaircase Sep 27 '24
Its so tempting, still in denial… been looking at the google nest hub 😭😅
2
u/mrjohns2 Sep 27 '24
They either suck or require a perfect network that nothing else, including video conferencing, requires (depends on who you ask). Thus, not a very good product.
2
u/DeanCorp Sep 28 '24
Seeing this I’ve just dusted off my HomePod Mini and done the 18.0 update. From memory the reason why I put it in my cupboard was every time I’d ask it something it would tell me to unlock my iPhone. The Hey Siri also got on my nerves as I didn’t want HomePod eavesdropping all the time (only sometimes when I’d want to use it). I know that’s quite hard to differentiate but I wish there was an identifier “Hey Kitchen Siri” or something like that.
1
u/dracarysracecar Sep 29 '24
Yep. Alexa is light years ahead in this respect! I have both systems and I hate that Bezos is outdoing Apple
2
u/DeanCorp Sep 29 '24
I’ll be really interested to see once Apple rolls out their Artificial Intelligence later this year, to see how the HomePods improve. I wouldn’t mind “upgrading” if it can do significantly more for me.
1
u/R3ddit0rN0t Sep 27 '24
HomePods are too expensive for the voice assistant / bluetooth speaker niche and they aren't nearly good enough to appeal to home theater enthusiasts. Most of my tech gear is Apple so I'm not predisposed to dislike HomePods. But right now, their appeal is limited to people who really aren't terribly discerning about the quality of their home theater setup, and think that for $600 a pair of HomePods sound "pretty good." Sonos has proven that there is a market for expensive, networkable, versatile, high quality audio systems.
The HomePod home theater audio option was introduced 2.5 years ago and they haven't done anything to enhance it. Until Apple decides what it really wants to do with the product line, it's rather listless.
7
u/WinterZealousideal10 Sep 27 '24
Sound bars are overrated. HomePods are perfect for home audio set ups. I think theaters even do their sound wrong. You should be hearing the audio and feeling like it’s around you. Why do you wanna feel like you’re in the middle of a nuclear explosion when you can just enjoy it?
5
u/R3ddit0rN0t Sep 27 '24
Saying "you're doing it wrong" to the entire audio industry is probably not a winning play. Volume doesn't have to be dialed up to 11 to enjoy a multi-speaker sound system. The sound stage is much more accurate than some virtually rendered environment coming from two locations in front of the listener.
1
u/WinterZealousideal10 Sep 27 '24
You can have multiple audio sources with HomePods?
I’m not here to win, just discuss and sometimes share my opinion about things I thing are dumb. Like feeling like my chest is being shot when I just wanted to feel like there were guns around me. I hate going to the theater and to my friends house with full audio setup. Like are we watching a movie with a story or are we going to the gun range?
3
u/R3ddit0rN0t Sep 27 '24
Again, the immersiveness of the setup and the volume are two completely different things. Even a basic 5.1 system with speakers in front and behind the viewer, dedicated center channel and subwoofer places all of the audio elements where engineers intended them to be. Atmos is even better. The speakers don't need to be set at an ear-splitting volume.
1
u/WinterZealousideal10 Sep 27 '24
It’s not about volume. I also usually like things loud. It’s about power and balance. Most people like punch up the bass and explosions all the way and drown out the voices (which is also my experience at theaters) and like. What? But no yeah idk what we even arguin about haha I don’t know if my HomePods have 5.1, but I’m fairly certain they have atmos.
7
u/zhenya00 Sep 27 '24
HomePods are not intended to replace a home theater system or a high end stereo for an audiophile. They are intended to provide significantly better audio than the built-in speakers on the TV in an unobtrusive form factor. For that they do a great job - while also serving as a smart speaker. HomePods hold their own sound-wise against Sonos systems of similar footprint.
2
u/R3ddit0rN0t Sep 27 '24
Yes, that's where Apple has positioned them now. And that's why they have limited appeal and are largely ignored. They're a niche product into which Apple is investing as little resources as possible.
2
u/zhenya00 Sep 27 '24
I think the market for people who want decent audio that doesn't call attention to itself is orders of magnitude larger than the home theater speaker market. It's just that Apple may only sell a few tens of millions of these things rather than billions like they do iPhones.
1
u/R3ddit0rN0t Sep 27 '24
Made up sales figures probably aren't going to advance the conversation any. Here's what we know to be true:
Apple discontinued production on the HomePods for 2 years. And when it returned, the design was basically unchanged. (It's not like they stopped production in order to re-launch with a major redesign.)
When clearing out stock, people were receiving new HomePods that had manufacture dates 2-3 years prior
They've added almost zero new features to home pods in the last 3 years.
In order to use the Home Theater audio feature you also need a $150 Apple TV. And you can only AirPlay from other apple devices. Both are further barriers to wide acceptance.
And that's not even getting into the lack of advertising, fact that the mini hasn't been updated in 4 years, how far you have to dig on the Apple website just to find them. So no, they're probably not selling "tens of millions."
1
u/zhenya00 Sep 27 '24
Apple sells on the order of 10 million HomePods per year, with an estimated peak of about 15 million in their best year.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1421706/apple-homepod-unit-sales/
1
u/R3ddit0rN0t Sep 27 '24
All sales data is unofficial, but since it peaked within a year or so of the mini launch, safe money is on the mini being the bulk of those sales. 2021 numbers would have been boosted by closeout sales on the original. Then in 2022 there were no large HomePod sales whatsoever. It was reintroduced in early 2023, yet sales continued to trend downward.
-2
1
u/BradleyEd03 Sep 27 '24
I can’t leave feedback on VisionOS2 either. Seems like iOS, Mac and Watch are the main focus for Apple, which makes a lot of sense.
1
u/zoinkinator Sep 27 '24
I had issues connecting to home pod minis after ios 18.0. They had me factory reset the homepod minis and try again. It turned out to be my ipad running developer beta had connected to the home pod and was blocking my iphone. I finally got the phone working but i am still having issues with bluetooth on my phone using certain apps.
1
u/DrHawk144 Oct 01 '24
I just want my minis to play fucking explicit fucking music when I fucking ask them to. I’ve changed every setting 5 times.
1
u/Vivid_Application577 Oct 01 '24
I have 2 OG HomePods and 4 Minis of various ages. The first one doesn’t even have the temp/humidity sensors. All updated to OS 18 without a single problem. You must update your iPhone to iOS 18 first, before attempting to update the HomePods. (Same for WatchOS). If there are still issues, try the “usual” remedies:
Unplug the HomePods (and Apple TVs) Restart your iPhone AND WiFi router. Make sure you are following Apple’s guidelines for WiFi settings. After WiFi is connected to the internet, plug the HomePods and Apple TVs back in. Wait for about 10 minutes, then test them.
Still having issues? Then reset them: Unplug the HomePods, then plug them back in and immediately hold your finger on the top. Siri will tell you they are about to be reset. Hold your finger on until they beep. Set them up again with your iPhone (signed in with Apple ID account). Make sure your iPhone is up to date (iOS 18.0 right now) Be consistent with choosing the Room they are in (don’t use the “New Room”) and they all should have unique names.
There are rumors flying around that Apple will announce new Home devices in October. This may or may not include a new HomePod-type device, perhaps with a display, perhaps with the A18 chip for Apple Intelligence capability. Maybe now is the time to wait and see what Apple does…
1
u/InfiniteHench Oct 01 '24
Those pages are sometimes slow to update with new OS versions across other products. I’ve seen the iPhone feedback page be out of date. Don’t read too much into it.
1
u/random-stiff Oct 01 '24
I’m waiting for them to handle surround sound and then I’ll take the plunge and buy a set
1
u/WesleyWex Oct 02 '24
Those forms are outdated for many other platforms as well, it’s just… how things work ¯_(ツ)_/¯
1
u/vungnn Oct 07 '24
I recently purchased a HomePod 2, but I've been experiencing frequent glitches and strange noises. Unfortunately, I've had to revert back to using my older JBL Playlist.
1
u/adamisapple White Sep 28 '24
Literally all of my HomePod minis are garbage. They don’t work 95% of the time. They don’t keep an internet connection, they won’t airplay music reliably, they refuse to update. I want to like HomePods because they would be nice, but I’d absolutely never buy another one. And yes, I have reset them multiple times.
0
u/marcjaffe Sep 27 '24
I just upgraded to 18.1.x. In the home app 3 dots, home settings, software update.
0
u/jamesbretz Sep 27 '24
There are probably tens of thousands of people submitting feedback. They are not going to write back. All of this feedback likely just gets aggregated into a weekly/bi-weekly report.
0
u/UpsideDownOfYoutube Sep 27 '24
I get that a lot of people submit feedback…but the feedback gets aggregated to version 16.5? Version 18 isn’t even an option…
0
u/jamesbretz Sep 27 '24
I don’t think updating the feedback portal is high on the priority list right now with revenue declining steadily throughout the year.
0
0
u/reccenav Sep 28 '24
Just because you did get personal feedback doesn’t mean they don’t care. Think about how much WORLDWIDE feedback they get. It all goes into big data bin. The analysis is performed and then spits out info for them of the most concern.
2
u/UpsideDownOfYoutube Sep 28 '24
I am fine with not getting an answer, but you can’t even chose the right software. To me that speaks volumes
0
u/reccenav Nov 14 '24
Not sure what you mean doesn’t have the software. Updates are done via Home app. Just click on the pod(s) and you’ll see the download arrow in the upper right corner. I have 12 HomePod mini’s in the house and 5 Apple TVs and never have issues. Always have been able to get the current version of code. I don’t allow anything to auto update. I want to check and read reviews for issues be updates
1
u/UpsideDownOfYoutube Nov 15 '24
Its not the Home app, its about the feedback form on their website.
110
u/zhenya00 Sep 27 '24
My original HomePods are now 7 years old and still receiving software and feature updates. Yes, I think they care about them as they have slowly but surely improved them year after year. I'm just realistic about their relative priority in a company as large as Apple.