Apple has released the latest update for its HomePod software, which finally empowers Siri to learn what you’ve probably been telling her for years.
HomePodOS Software 17.4 arrived today along a suite of minor updates for Apple TV, Apple Watch and Mac computers.
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The key new skill means HomePod users will no longer have to name the third-party media service of their choice when requesting music, podcasts and audiobooks.
“This update enables Siri to learn your preferred media service, so you no longer need to include the name of the media app in your request,” the release notes say (via MacRumors).
That means if you’re a YouTube Music user, you won’t need to specify “on YouTube Music” in your voice command because the device may attempt to do it on Apple Music otherwise.
With the arrival of this feature comes the removal of the way this has been handled before; by manually specifying a default service within the Home app on iPhone.
The new feature brings HomePod into line with Apple’s iPhone and iPhone devices, which already enable Siri to log the preferred media service when making the initial request.
Unfortunately the update does little to rectify an outstanding inconvenience for Spotify subscribers, who still don’t benefit from native integration with HomePod.
Last year Apple made it slightly easier for Spotify users by routing their voice commands from the connected iPhone to HomePod via AirPlay.
However, it’s not the seamless integration befitting the world’s most popular music streaming service. Third-party media apps that are supported natively by HomePod include YouTube Music, Deezer, Pandora, TuneIn, and iHeartRadio.
Elsewhere, Apple has improved performance in HomePod Software 17.4, but there are no other new features mentioned in the release notes.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
