HomeKit Why HomePod so dumb?

[MonkeySpank158]

Has anybody else running an Apple Smart Home noticed this:

When I make requests to Siri to control devices from my phone or Apple TV, they work very reliably. Almost never have issues. However, when im walking through my house and utilize the HomePod minis I have set up (3 in a way where I can be heard from just about anywhere in my home) I run into all sorts of issues. Responses like "I cannot handle combined requests" when I say "turn on the bedroom lights" (not a combined request), or it will just give me the sound to let me know it did what I asked, although it didn't. It seems like the HomePods aren't as smart or efficient as controlling my home devices from a phone or my Apple TV, MBP, etc. Thoughts?

 

[Itinj24]

Has anybody else running an Apple Smart Home noticed this:

When I make requests to Siri to control devices from my phone or Apple TV, they work very reliably. Almost never have issues. However, when im walking through my house and utilize the HomePod minis I have set up (3 in a way where I can be heard from just about anywhere in my home) I run into all sorts of issues. Responses like "I cannot handle combined requests" when I say "turn on the bedroom lights" (not a combined request), or it will just give me the sound to let me know it did what I asked, although it didn't. It seems like the HomePods aren't as smart or efficient as controlling my home devices from a phone or my Apple TV, MBP, etc. Thoughts?

You’re not alone. You can peruse this forum and find tons of threads related to your issues. Some will say it’s your network but that’s a bunch of bull spit. Everything else is working just fine and these issues come and go. It basically comes down to crappy software released by Apple. Your only hope is to wait for a new update. iOS 15 was ok. iOS 16, not so much… Hopefully iOS 17 brings some good stuff.

 

[Itinj24]

Has anybody else running an Apple Smart Home noticed this:

When I make requests to Siri to control devices from my phone or Apple TV, they work very reliably. Almost never have issues. However, when im walking through my house and utilize the HomePod minis I have set up (3 in a way where I can be heard from just about anywhere in my home) I run into all sorts of issues. Responses like "I cannot handle combined requests" when I say "turn on the bedroom lights" (not a combined request), or it will just give me the sound to let me know it did what I asked, although it didn't. It seems like the HomePods aren't as smart or efficient as controlling my home devices from a phone or my Apple TV, MBP, etc. Thoughts?

Or you can try rebooting your network and the HomePod(s) in question

 

[MonkeySpank158]

You’re not alone. You can peruse this forum and find tons of threads related to your issues. Some will say it’s your network but that’s a bunch of bull spit. Everything else is working just fine and these issues come and go. It basically comes down to crappy software released by Apple. Your only hope is to wait for a new update. iOS 15 was ok. iOS 16, not so much… Hopefully iOS 17 brings some good stuff.

Yea, I started my smart home setup with iOS 16, so my experience is limited to just that version.

Or you can try rebooting your network and the HomePod(s) in question

This occurs frequently. But FWIW, I dont have issues with other devices on my network.

 

[Itinj24]

This occurs frequently. But FWIW, I dont have issues with other devices on my network.

Exactly… which is why the logic of it being a network issue is totally baseless.

Some HomePodOS software works good, some don’t which is why I believe it’s on Apple to get their spit together and stop breaking stuff.

 

[livmatus]

That "Sorry, cannot handle combined requests." is driving me crazy... I say "Turn the bedroom light on" ... and 70% of the time it will work... but 30% will result in previously mentioned error.

The "new architecture" didn't help. I haven't noticed any change in behavior.