Apple's HomePod could soon have YouTube Music integrated with it.
A software miner recently discovered that YouTube and Apple are working together to integrate YouTube Music on the HomePod, allowing HomePod users to access the audio streaming service with Siri easily.
HomePod doesn't have a default music service as of press time, making YouTube Music's integration something HomePod users could desire.
YouTube Music With HomePod
Apple's HomePod is the company's definite answer to Google's Nest device. Both are smart speakers that can assist them in automating their homes and in living their everyday lives.
However, while the HomePods have access to Siri, it has little integration with third-party audio-streaming services like Spotify and YouTube Music. Fortunately, its list of integrated music services is getting an entry longer.
A recent report from Macrumors stated that software miner @aaronp613 found that YouTube Music may soon be available directly on the HomePod and the HomePod mini through Siri integration. The software miner was digging through code hidden in the YouTube Music app when he discovered a section labeled "Connect With HomePod."
The inclusion of such a label in YouTube Music's code suggests that YouTube and Apple could be working on integrating the audio streaming service into Apple's smart speaker at some point in the future. If true, then YouTube Music will be the first audio streaming service Apple's HomePod will use as its default music option.
Spotify and other similar audio streaming services have yet to adopt HomePod support despite Apple releasing its SiriKit Media feature in iOS 14. As a result, only a few audio streaming services, such as Pandora, iHeartRadio, Deezer, and TuneIn Radio, are available directly on HomePod.
With YouTube and Apple possibly integrating YouTube Music support on HomePods, users could soon play audio from YouTube Music directly on the smart speaker. They could even set YouTube Music as their HomePod's default music option, making the device play audio content exclusively from the selected device.
Apple's HomePods lists Apple Music as its default music service, per Apple's HomePods webpage.
Spotify's Move
The software miner's report seemingly confirms Android Police's June 6 report stating that YouTube Music is picking up support for Siri playback on HomePod speakers, according to a slide shown during Apple's 2023 WWDC event. However, Apple didn't specify a timeframe for when YouTube Music integration will arrive- HomePods users may have to wait a little while longer for integration to be available on HomePods.
However, it still doesn't seem that Spotify is keen on adding Siri integration to its app. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said in early April that Spotify has yet to receive a "significant volume" of complaints about the lack of HomePod support.
Unfortunately, despite thousands of users advocating for HomePod support, Spotify has refused to budge even if Apple made the necessary APIs available for it to do so. Whether Spotify will decide on getting HomePod support once YouTube Music is fully integrated into Apple's HomePod remains to be seen, though it seems likely to happen.
