Listen to local radio stations on HomePod in Switzerland

Software
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1

Hi

I am living in Switzerland and have a Swiss iCloud account. This is important, because for some reason I can not understand, the TuneIn deal to have local radio stations in Apple Music is not implemented here…

So: How can I listen to local radio stations on my HomePods? I am not looking for an AirPlay solution - I am aware of this - but looking for something what I can also use as an alarm clock. Is there some solution?

Thanks,

Rainer

2

I am located in Germany. Before HomePod OS 15, everything was fine most of the time.

“Hey Siri, spiele Radiosender WDR 2!” And the HomePods started playing the radio station.

Since then, Siri answers the request with the information that “she” will play the radio station via TuneIn. And then: silence. Both on my HomePods and on my Home Pod minis. It works flawlessly via my iPhone or my iPad.

I have given up on that feature.

As far as I am aware there is no solution (without AirPlay) to play a radio station via HomePods if it does not work via Siri with a TuneIn integration. Even with the TuneIn integration the feature has not been very reliable for me. And it definitely is not working for me since HomePod OS 15.

3

When I ask that question, Siri tells me it can‘t find that station in Apple Music, which is true, as the radio stations are not included in Apple Music in Switzerland…

4

Yeah, I think that Apple has not connected “Siri”/HomePods with TuneIn in Switzerland.

What I meant to say is: TuneIn IS connected with Siri/HomePods in Germany and it stopped working weeks ago. Siri answers with a happy affirmation that she will play the Radio Station via TuneIn and then exactly nothing will happen. No error. Just silence. It may not be of much consolation to you, but radio stations and HomePods are something that really do not play together nicely even if they are supposed to do so.

I am a fan of Apple devices like the HomePods are concept-wise, but their reliability is a joke when it comes down connecting to and with services. It starts with HomeKit and it ends with TuneIn. It is just sad… No matter if the service is part of Apple (HomeKit) or part of a different company (TuneIn).

To put it into words:

“It just does not work. Except when it does.” :wink:

5

Interestingly, I tried the „Play xxx using TuneIn“ already some time ago - before the last updates and again just now, and I always git the same responses as you do.

6

According to Onlinepc.ch the HomePod is not available in Switzerland and because of that there is also no TuneIn integration. I cannot see anything about a HomePod Mini on TV & Home - Apple (CH)

Be it as it may: even if there was a TuneIn integration - it does not really work reliably for me… :wink:

EDIT, December 16th, 2021:
And then… after my HomePods did their 15.2 update (?), TuneIn started working again in Germany… :wink: