iOS 17 fills an enormous HomePod hole – and it's excellent news for Spotify customers.

Apple’s iOS 17 launch will open up new voice management choices for customers of the corporate’s HomePod audio system.

Till now, the HomePod has been more durable to suggest for folks exterior of the Apple Music ecosystem as a result of Siri controls solely assist the house group and some choose others.

That’s going to alter in iOS 17 with the corporate leveraging the AirPlay tech to offer Siri entry to different third-party apps which might be put in on the consumer’s iPhone and iPad.

So, successfully, HomePod homeowners might ask Siri to play content material from Spotify with the content material coming immediately from the iPhone/iPad somewhat than being streamed independently. Apps that do have native assist will proceed to play immediately from the cloud, however this can be a good strategy to get across the limitations.

Apple teased this performance at WWDC 2023 earlier this month and now 9to5Mac has delved deeper into the likelihood. Successfully, it means the HomePod is about to get way more helpful for non-Apple Music subscribers.

“As soon as HomePod processes a request, a SiriKit intent is distributed to the iPhone, the place Siri begins your app and AirPlays content material again to the speaker,” Apple explains. In different phrases, Siri on the HomePod will use your iPhone to mechanically play what you have got requested by way of AirPlay,” a assist doc reads.

So, whereas Spotify doesn’t have an app for the HomePod, its iPhone/iPad app does assist the SiriKit API, making it fairly a useful workaround when you love the thought of getting a HomePod to hitch your own home leisure line-up (maybe with an Apple TV), however don’t wish to ditch Spotify or Tidal, as an illustration.

Would possibly this replace persuade you to seize a HomePod mini or HomePod (2nd Gen) or two? Tell us @trustedreviews on Twitter.