Reminder: Apple's HomePod only plays nice with Apple devices
Updated tech specs confirm that almost anything besides iTunes and Apple Music requires AirPlay from an iPhone, iPad or Mac.
- Author of the award-winning, NY Times-reviewed nonfiction book The Tetris Effect; Longtime consumer technology expert for CBS Mornings
In anticipation of next Friday's release of the Apple HomePod speaker, Apple has updated some of the tech specs listed for the product on its website. The list of "Audio Sources" confirms that the HomePod sits very comfortably inside Apple's walled garden of apps and services, and isn't as friendly to outside sources as other smart home speakers.
Apple lists the supported audio sources for the HomePod as:
-
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
The key here is that, as we discovered during an early listening session, while the HomePod has Bluetooth 5.0 built in, it can't be used for music streaming. You'll need an Apple device that supports AirPlay to remotely play Spotify or other music sources (you also need an Apple device for the initial setup as well). Those other sources also won't have voice control support via the HomePod.
For a more detailed ears-on take on the HomePod, you can read about our recent listening test here.