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.

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.

13 Comments

cgWerks 2947 comments · 8 Years

About 6 years ago

AppleInsider said:
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.

Hmm, I haven't had much luck. I wonder if I could use Siri automation to do something simple like play my favorites playlist while driving (something I can't currently do).

genovelle 1481 comments · 16 Years

cgWerks said:

AppleInsider said:
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.

Hmm, I haven't had much luck. I wonder if I could use Siri automation to do something simple like play my favorites playlist while driving (something I can't currently do).

Odd. I just asked Siri specifically to play on of my playlist and she did. This was a voice control feature available on iPods before the Iphone was even released. Not sure what you are doing differently.

rogifan_new 4297 comments · 9 Years

So do you have to set up a shortcut or do the media apps have to do something to make it work? Right now the only way to add a shortcut is via the Workflow app which has limited actions.

ihatescreennames 1971 comments · 19 Years

cgWerks said:

AppleInsider said:
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.

Hmm, I haven't had much luck. I wonder if I could use Siri automation to do something simple like play my favorites playlist while driving (something I can't currently do).

I say, “Play my favorites mix” all the time and have never had an issue. It works exactly as expected for me.

rogifan_new said:

So do you have to set up a shortcut or do the media apps have to do something to make it work? Right now the only way to add a shortcut is via the Workflow app which has limited actions.

I’m curious how the shortcuts will work. From the keynote it wasn’t clear if an app could have multiple shortcuts assigned to it. The example was the woman ordering her usual coffee. But what if some days I want my usual and other days I want to order my usual and my wife’s usual? Can that be set up?

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?