Rather than having to assign a default, HomePod will now automatically launch the user's preferred app for music, podcasts, and audiobooks for the relevant Siri command with the incoming 17.4 update.
HomePods Software 17.4 adds new default media service feature
HomePod owners have been able to log into apps like Pandora within the Home app and give specific commands to HomePod to start playback. That manual process is going away for a more streamlined version similar to what is available on iPhone.
According to a Threads post from user @mahmoudzitani, the HomePod Software 17.4 RC removes the default service menu from the Home app in favor of a more automatic solution. Apple says Siri will learn your preferred media service for music, audiobooks, and podcasts.
Users have been able to sign into apps like Pandora and set them as the default destination for music commands. Or, if the app is signed in, the user could give a command that ends with "on Pandora."
That changes with the new update. Now, users sign in to services within the Home app, and Siri learns which app is used for different media and automatically plays from there.
Apple's solution seems to be an attempt to take some of the manual setup out of users' hands. However, the ambiguity of the feature and lack of menus for manual control of defaults may frustrate users.
HomePod Software 17.4 is expected to launch sometime before March 7 since it coincides with the other releases that comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act deadline. Media not connected in the Home app can still be played via AirPlay.