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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Gen AI Siri upgrades are expected at WWDC.
- A smarter Siri could make HomePod more useful.
- Siri remains HomePod’s biggest advantage.
It’s been three years since Apple released a smart speaker, and competitors from Sonos, Bose, Denon, and Amazon are taking advantage of Apple’s absence. Apple’s contemporaries have made meaningful strides in fidelity, whole-home audio support, and expanded smart home integration.
Also: Forget the soundbar: How I upgraded my TV audio with spare Bluetooth speakers
Still, HomePod’s integration with Apple’s device ecosystem, consisting of smartphones, laptops, tablets, and more, gives the company’s smart speaker a significant edge over its contemporaries. Additionally, one other major advantage sets Apple apart from others: Siri.
Siri has its limitations, but Apple is expected to announce meaningful gen AI upgrades to its voice assistant during this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). If a reborn Siri seems promising, here’s how I’d like it to behave in HomePod.
1. Smarter music discovery
HomePod’s primary functions are serving as a smart speaker and playing music, and generative AI upgrades to Siri could drastically improve music discovery, playback, and playlist creation. Imagine if you could ask Siri to create a Playlist Playground, Apple Music’s AI-generated playlists, to fit the vibe of an upbeat evening with friends and family.
Also: Spotify vs. Apple Music: I’ve subscribed to both streaming services and prefer this one
You could also ask Siri to play songs and existing Apple Music playlists that fit a certain vibe or only feature a specific artist or genre. With more conversational capabilities, it could use more context to queue music outside of your library. Currently, Siri is limited to playing songs and playlists if you can describe their exact title, artist, or album.
2. More in-depth task completion
The kitchen counter is one of my favorite places to keep a smart speaker, as cooking an elaborate meal requires the right playlist. However, when I start cooking, I start thinking, and a competent, elaborate voice assistant could help me sort through the many tasks and upcoming errands that swirl around in my mind.
For example, imagine you could ask Siri to help you compare flights and hotels in a city for an upcoming trip. Or Siri could generate a route in Apple Maps that most efficiently takes you from your house to your local farmers market and then to FedEx to drop off a package.
Additionally, there are nights when I don’t have a specific recipe in mind, but I still have to make something with the ingredients in my fridge. Perhaps an upgraded Siri could provide ChatGPT-like recipes, including the necessary seasonings and cook times for what I already have on hand.
3. Upgraded reminders and calendar integration
All of your Apple applications and devices registered under the same Apple account can access each other’s data, and I’d like to see upgraded Siri capabilities that bridge the gaps between Calendar, Reminders, and Contacts.
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For example, I could ask HomePod to find a weekend in June when my calendar and my friends’ shared calendars allow for a Saturday hangout. Then, I’d ask Siri to use Apple Pay to buy movie tickets on that date. Or, perhaps I could ask Siri to remind me to buy a greeting card and gift card the day before my mom’s birthday.
Why Siri is HomePod’s biggest advantage
Due to Apple’s stringent privacy rules, Siri isn’t a native feature on third-party smart speakers. Some companies, such as Bose, opt for the more easily accessible Alexa, while Sonos created its own voice assistant for basic, on-device controls. Some speakers, such as the Denon Home 400, support Siri when the speaker is registered with HomeKit, which requires a HomePod or Apple TV as a hub device.
With that logic, if you want Siri in a smart speaker, it’s more convenient to go with a HomePod. Smart speakers that support Amazon Alexa can execute useful commands but have several limitations when accessing your Apple device’s content, such as reading your iMessages, accessing Photos, or combing through Mail.
Also: 15+ best Alexa commands to make your home work smarter (Prime not required)
Since Siri can serve as a more thorough voice assistant for Apple users, extending its capabilities in your home could transform it from a simple hands-free helper into a deeply integrated digital assistant.
