rescinded take: HomePods are (slightly) better without Apple Music

September 17, 2026, updated September 23, 2026.

CWs: none

rescinded take; i got used to how it works :p

I recently moved from a local iTunes collection on my iPhone back to Apple Music, and this is how my HomePod (Mini) experience surprisingly got worse??

When you have a local collection on your phone, whether it's synced via iTunes or files on your phone you play via an app, your phone AirPlays that content to the HomePod via Wi-Fi. AFAIK this also happens if you use any other streaming service that's not Apple Music. IF you use Apple Music however, your HomePod will stream the content from Apple Music instead of your phone AirPlaying it. This happens even if you have the content downloaded on your phone.
I can no longer change the HomePod volume from my phone while my phone screen is off... what? The media controls on your phone are separated for "iPhone Speaker" and "HomePod Mini". If I stay on "HomePod Mini", I would expect volume buttons to change the volume for the HomePod everywhere, unless I'm playing media on the phone?
Also, changing things like repeat and shuffle are no longer as responsive, because the controls are now handled by the HomePod.
About phone battery life with the local collection, I didn't find hours of AirPlaying to be an issue. I get that it's a "smart speaker", but I am not using Siri to change the volume.