Can anyone please explain how exactly siri shortcuts work on homepod? It's absolutely unclear to me what kind of commands work and which don't. Clearly custom commands from my phone don't.
Mac Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.4)
From what I can gather, Shortcuts essentially work to control the iPhone itself.
With a bit of ingenuity, and knowledge in scripting, you could get a home server to stream music to a HomePod through AirPlay using the SSH tool. There is no native function at the moment. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, I created a thread on this.
Also, you can associate Siri commands with Shortcuts in the app. Then, using Siri on the HomePod, you can use these commands, and it will search and execute corresponding Shortcuts on your iPhone flawlessly in my experience — except for Shortcuts that require to unlock your phone.
Well well well,
maybe it's my specific usecase that causes problems:
I created a custom voice command "new task today" in THINGS to create a new to do in THINGS app in the today list.
It works FLAWLESSLY on iphone every single time. On homepod though it creates a new reminder in the reminder app each time.
If I say something like "In things, create a new to do", most of the time what will happen is, it creates a new reminder in reminders app called "in sings". 😀
Sometimes if I say "add a new to do in things" it will actually work though, but this is not the command that I specified at all. Just some random command that never worked before. I mean homepod never was able to do anything in any iphone app.
Maybe it's a conflict with German language and TH in Things, or between the system wide command for to dos and reminders and between things and the reminders app. But I think a custom voice command that works on iphone should work THE SAME WAY on homepod no?
Can you give me some other app example that works fine?
Does it work properly with complex workflows created in the former workflow/now shortcuts app?
What you suggested about streaming music I wouldnt consider a solution. This is such a MAJOR oversight by apple, I cant believe theyre shipping a SMART HOME SPEAKER that's not possible to integrate into their own smart home system. Cmon Apple!
The problem is I absolutely cant think of a useful command that doesnt conflict with the native remionders app while still containing something like "to do", "Task", "mission" or so.
But yea, I believe that homepod is prioritizing system commands over my own command. Just strange that it works on the iphone.
For you - what app worked with a custom specific command created on iphone on your homepod?
Ahhh, so you created your own shortcuts with the ios shortcuts app, like starting directions on your phone or so? ANd that worked at least with a custom voice command on homepod?
I would be pretty happy with something like that, if only I could integrate the homepod playing certain music on tht command. I want to come home and have a certain playlist playing in conjunction with a light setup, same when I leave the house, end music and turn off the lights.
Precisely so.
Indeed, not being able to natively play music on the HP through automation is the frustrating part at the moment.
I might just code the script that I told you about before, to fix the major oversight of Apple devs / conceivers on that ground.
I haven't explored using third party apps that implement Siri Shortcuts yet.
I created Shortcuts for when I leave / get home, that are meant to be extensions of HomeKit Scenes with only iOS apps.
If you code it, please share!
Maybe the very specific sentence "New task today" conflicts with a stock command, making the HomePod prioritize it over your Shortcut? I'm not sure as I use it in French myself.
The iOS12 Update for the HP brings a few new functionalities like phone calls, as you may already know. It might also explain the fact that HP can now also interact with third-party apps on the iPhone.
Edit: I do agree with you when it comes to the general integration of HomePod in the iOS/HomeKit ecosystem. It remains pretty shallow at the moment, and I'm afraid that it could take a few years (and, for sure, a new model) for decent stuff to actually be done by Apple on this ground. iOS 12 is encouraging still, with the few basic stuff it implements that used to be missing on the HP.
How do shortcuts on Homepod work?
