Siri can interact with streaming media apps like Spotify in iOS 12
Apple appears to be relaxing its grip on Siri's media capabilities, as the company is building a new "Play Media" integration into iOS 12 that opens the door to compatibility with third-party streaming services like Spotify.
Apple product manager Kim Beverett demos Siri Shortcuts at WWDC 2018. | Source: Apple
Detailed in a developer session on Wednesday, "Play Media" is a new Siri intent that allows users to control the playback of media in third-party apps, reports TechCrunch. Currently, Siri can open streaming apps, but is unable to play songs from third-party sources.
Part of iOS 12's Siri Shortcuts feature, developers can integrate "Play Media" to provide users voice assistant controls to play audio and video from non-Apple apps. Whether the intent allows for deeper functionality, like pointing directly to a specific song or playlist, remains to be seen. Also unknown is how the feature works on HomePod, a device that restricts native audio playback to Apple Music and Podcasts.
"Play Media" was shown off during Apple's keynote on Monday. when Apple product manager Kim Beverett used the app's drag-and-drop editor to add the action "Play KQED Radio" to a customized Shortcut called "Heading Home" which, among other intents, commanded Siri to query Maps for a navigation route, send a custom text via Messages and set a home thermostat.
The Shortcuts behavior package is at this point limited to step-by-step actions, meaning "Play Media" is likewise restricted to one-off commands like the "Play KQED Radio" example provided in Apple's keynote. Once the music is playing, however, Siri can fall back on existing capabilities to skip tracks, pause and perform other audio management tasks.
Siri integration with Apple Music is of course much more robust. Users are furnished with voice alternatives for nearly every control accessible via the app's onscreen interface.
Still, the new intent's inclusion suggests Apple is slowly moving toward a more open experience, one that embraces third-party streaming apps that compete with its own services. It is now up to developers to take advantage of the platform.
Apple product manager Kim Beverett demos Siri Shortcuts at WWDC 2018. | Source: Apple
Detailed in a developer session on Wednesday, "Play Media" is a new Siri intent that allows users to control the playback of media in third-party apps, reports TechCrunch. Currently, Siri can open streaming apps, but is unable to play songs from third-party sources.
Part of iOS 12's Siri Shortcuts feature, developers can integrate "Play Media" to provide users voice assistant controls to play audio and video from non-Apple apps. Whether the intent allows for deeper functionality, like pointing directly to a specific song or playlist, remains to be seen. Also unknown is how the feature works on HomePod, a device that restricts native audio playback to Apple Music and Podcasts.
"Play Media" was shown off during Apple's keynote on Monday. when Apple product manager Kim Beverett used the app's drag-and-drop editor to add the action "Play KQED Radio" to a customized Shortcut called "Heading Home" which, among other intents, commanded Siri to query Maps for a navigation route, send a custom text via Messages and set a home thermostat.
The Shortcuts behavior package is at this point limited to step-by-step actions, meaning "Play Media" is likewise restricted to one-off commands like the "Play KQED Radio" example provided in Apple's keynote. Once the music is playing, however, Siri can fall back on existing capabilities to skip tracks, pause and perform other audio management tasks.
Siri integration with Apple Music is of course much more robust. Users are furnished with voice alternatives for nearly every control accessible via the app's onscreen interface.
Still, the new intent's inclusion suggests Apple is slowly moving toward a more open experience, one that embraces third-party streaming apps that compete with its own services. It is now up to developers to take advantage of the platform.
Comments
And as you mentioned, do developers have to do more than just add some hooks for Siri? And could they set up “pre-made” shortcuts?
One thing I've noticed since all these great new updates (I am especially loving paired HomePods and integration with apple TV and Atmos) is my iPhone answers along side HomePods when I as a question, never had this before. Not sure how to stop this.
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/sirikit#2979425
It looks like full 3rd party support for music, TV, movies, podcasts, and audiobooks is coming. It would require developers to implement the new domain, but this seems like something they would be quick to jump on.
This seems like such a big deal that the fact that it didn't make the keynote makes me skeptical about it coming out at launch for iOS 12. Might be a 12.3 kind of thing??
Here's a list of what is considered media:
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/sirikit/inmediaitemtype
Apple Insider at least should be able to get this right.
You can play songs from third party sources just not initiative them. Once they are airplaying you can control volume etc by voice.