Despite the arrival of social networks, streaming platforms and other services, radio will never go out of style. Perhaps the bulky transistors of the last century, but not the stations as such. Change the shape, but not the essence. Now we can even listen to the radio with smart speakers like Apple‘s HomePod. Do you want to know how? Well, in this article we tell you.
IPhone prerequisites
Unfortunately, the HomePod does not have an FM radio chip that allows you to easily play stations without using the iPhone and installing apps. Precisely linking to an iPhone is essential in this case, since it will be this equipment that will allow us to serve as an intermediary between radio stations and the smart speaker. To do this, you must have a software version that is iOS 13 or later on the device. You can check your version in Settings> General> Information and if you are on iOS 12 or earlier you should go to Settings> General> Software update to download a newer system version.
The fact that iPhones don’t have an FM radio either will force you to install a third-party app . Apple highlights several applications for this. We have been able to test is TuneIn, a free app that works very well. However, you can try any other to verify if the method also works with it.
Turn on the radio on the HomePod
Without realizing it, you have already done 90% of the journey, because you will only have to launch the voice command to start listening to the radio. Specifically, it is recommended to say “Hey Siri, play the radio (station name)”. It is especially noteworthy that in the command, although the way of saying it may vary, the word “radio” always remains. Regardless of whether the name of the station itself already incorporates that word, it will be necessary to say it so that the device does not get confused with a playlist or a song.
What stations can you listen to?
In the app that we have highlighted, TuneIn, you can find dozens of Spanish and worldwide radio stations . You will be able to access a complete catalog in which the most prestigious radio stations on our planet can have a place on your HomePod. If you wish, you can also search for them manually through the iPhone and then launch them into the smart speaker, this being a less fast way, but much more interesting due to the fact that you can see what stations you have available and access their programming.
Does your HomePod not play anything?
This is a more common problem than it seems, since it must be taken into account that we need the iPhone to be connected to the internet in order to access the list of stations. As we have already said, these are not captured through radio frequencies as with a specialized transistor, but rather through the internet. Perhaps the signal or internet speed of your device is very low or it is not configured to use the third-party app with mobile data. Make the appropriate reviews regarding this and once this problem has been solved you should no longer have an impediment so that your iPhone and HomePod can play radio stations.
