Apple lists all the audio sources supported on HomePod

There has been some major confusion lately regarding what Apple’s HomePod wireless speaker can and cannot play.

Thankfully, Apple has now updated HomePod’s technical specifications with a new Audio Sources section providing a handy list of all the audio sources that HomePod supports at launch, as first noted by MacRumors:

  • Apple Music—HomePod users can ask Siri to play any of over 45 million songs available on Apple Music. A subscription is required.
  • iTunes Store music purchases—HomePod users can ask Siri to play any songs, albums or audiobooks purchased from iTunes Store.
  • iCloud Music Library—HomePod users can ask Siri to play any songs uploaded to a user’s iCloud Music Library, including songs imported from other sources such as CDs, with an Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription.
  • Beats 1 live radio—HomePod users can ask Siri to play Apple’s official radio station.
  • Podcasts—HomePod users can ask Siri to play any podcast episodes from the iTunes podcast directory.
  • AirPlay—HomePod users can use AirPlay to play other audio, like Spotify music, from an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV or Mac. AirPlay 2, coming later this year, is required to stream audio from these sources to multiple HomePods.

As confirmed by iMore’s Serenity Caldwell, HomePod also works with your personal music collection in your iCloud Music Library via Apple’s iTunes Match service, but Siri may be unable to interact with any of your uploaded tracks that lack appropriate metadata.

Apple started taking pre-orders for the $349 wireless speaker last week ahead of its scheduled launch on February 9 in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. The accessory will launch in Germany and France in the Spring.