You are completely correct Jaysee. The Homepod only serves as a sound bar for the Apple TV and not for other users of the TV itself.
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As above - that’s where Apple loses me. If they want ubiquity - make it fit in with the existing environment, not require the environment to be retrofitted to be 100% Apple. (“100%” used as an exaggeration.)
My Samsung Home Theatre system doesn’t care if I connect a JVC tv, or MS XBox.
The connection limitations sound annoying. That said, I recall the iPod only worked with a Mac for the first year or so before a windows version of iTunes was released.
The first iPod was FireWire, which basically meant Mac only.
Once you are watching something via the ATV and listening via the Homepod, you can then just talk to Siri via the Homepod to control the show. As examples:
- Pause/Play
- Skip back 10 seconds
- Skip forwatd 50 seconds
I expect that you can use the same command set as that available via Siri through the ATV remote.
The first iPod pre-dated iTunes for Windows which was the bigger issue. There was software hacked together to allow it, but really didn’t take off until Apple released iTunes for Windows.
You seem to be! I’m usually a very early adopter of Apple devices, but I don’t have a use case for this until the stereo Airplay 2 works, and I can hear how it sounds, as I’m holding off shopping for a home theatre system at the moment.
No. you’re not!
Picked mine up Friday, extremely happy with it, the sound is amazing.
Still have Google Home mini, but haven’t yet seen any limitations with the HomePod.
I don’t care anyway, the music will keep me happy with it 
So, after a few days of playing, here are my applications for my homepod, in declining order of likely frequency of use, as follows:
- Airplaying music from various iPhones/iPads (So far, voice selection of content from Apple Music has been problematic. It is just easier to select from lists on a screen.)
- Airplaying podcasts (I prefer Pocket Casts from Shifty Jelly rather than the Apple podcasts app)
- Sound bar and voice control for Apple TV
- Secondary voice controlled digital assistant (Google Home is my primary one)
- Creating reminders
- Creating short messages, but not listening to messages
- Speaker phone (Though more trials are needed)
My partner may infrequently airplay some music.
All up, I am happy with the Homepod. I bought it as a high quality, smart speaker. (Smart as in computational sound, not as digital assistant). It excels in that role.
I will perservere with some use of Siri because … its Apple. There is a history of Apple being late to the market, providing limited functionality in the initial release, and charging high prices. Yet in each case, they end up owning the market (or at least owning the profitable part of the market). Think iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
But then there are products, such as AppleTV and the Apple HiFi …
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I think the main problem I have with HomePod is that I have no real need for a wireless speaker.
I mean, if I did, I’ve have purchased some Bluetooth variant years ago. But I live in a tiny apartment, where my computer speakers can be heard from every room, and so having a speaker I’m able to put in my bedroom as opposed to out in my lounge doesn’t make that much sense. This is probably why I haven’t picked up an Amazon Echo or Google Home (or the mini variant), too.
If the HomePod was able to be used as a regular speaker, plugged into the good ol’ headphone jack of my MacBook Pro or PC, then I’d be all over it. Sell me two!
I’ve been using home assistant on a Raspberry pi for ages so that our non homekit devices can be controlled via homekit/siri. Well now it has an added benefit: it has a new feature called “Aircast” which turns any Chromecast device into an Airplay Speaker. This means all my four google homes show up as airplay devices, and I’ve also got two groups (one with all of the speakers in the group, and one with the two in our bathrooms). the groups show up as individual Airplay devices as well. Very handy and cool (and i can buy a bunch more google home’s for the price of one homepod).
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I would like you to explain your cool sounding set up in a separate thread Mitty!
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I’d love to see a guide on how to do this as I have a spare Pi at the moment
A year and a half later…
Who is using still their HomePod? Was it worth the investment? Changed your life?
I love my HomePod more than I love my kids
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I’m tempted, but I’m curious how long until the next model comes out
I think the mark of good technology is when it slips so easily into daily life that you forget it’s even a thing.
I keep my HomePod on my bedside table and it just so happens my bedroom comes just off the kitchen.
This means when I use the last of something I can just speak (not yell) and have Siri add the item to my shopping list. When I need timers I just speak and they’re set for me. When I want to turn the music volume up because the frypan is drowning it out I can just ask it to make it louder. When I get a text and my hands are tied it can read it aloud for me.
In my bedroom I have an el cheapo TV but the sound is made better by playing the audio from my Apple TV through it instead. There’s no lag. Same thing when I’m watching YouTube or Twitch on my iPad in bed. My favourite thing is that I can play music, or a podcast or an audiobook while I’m drifting off to sleep and when I’ve had enough I can just ask Siri to stop and I don’t even have to roll over to do that.
I just absolutely adore it. So yeah, I guess it has changed my life by making a lot of things that little bit more convenient.
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I have a HomePod- bought with Frequent Flyer points. We use it every day for music and Siri and some basic home automation like switching lights on/off.
It lives in the kitchen, which works best for us.
My little fellow even asks Siri to play him music which is great.
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Thanks so much for your examples of every day life with HomePod!
It’s still not something I’d pay full RRP for (probably), but it looks like they can be had for around $320 second hand, so it’s suddenly on my radar, for 2 reasons - hence reviving this thread.
For one - the other night I noticed my asthma puffer was nearly dead. I said aloud, “House-[sic]Siri, remind me to get a new puffer”. My 11yo son gave me a look like I was insane, but I then told him about HomePod. He was already aware of the Alexa equivalent from school friends. Lately I have found myself using Siri more and more to remind me to do things, because life is complicated, and it really helps both simply as a reminder, but also almost as a motivator.
Secondly, in the corner of my living room, acting like a tall-table sits the box containing my Samsung 5.1 surround speaker system. It’s travelled with us for years, yet not been used since 2011. I’m not entirely sure how well HomePod would act as a speaker for our television/XBox One S (Netflix, Plex, YouTube, games) but I’m sure it would provide better sound than the built in speakers on my cheap JVC tv.
I may do some more research and maybe look at it for Christmas… easier to sneak new tech into the house under veil of Christmas…
It’ll be no good for your Xbox and will only work with your TV via Apple TV so something to keep in mind.
I wish they’d come out with a mini version. I’d buy a couple more for the house if they did.