Apple has clarified how the new music player selection via Siri will work in iOS 14.5. The company explains that in iOS 14.5 when Siri will ask users to select a music service, it will not make the selected media player their default music streaming app.
The digital assistant asks the user which music streaming service it should use, providing a list of providers that the user can choose from. The feature was first spotted in the iOS 14.5 beta testing cycle, the list would appear when asking Siri to play music.
Apple clarifies Siri is not setting a default music service in iOS 14.5
Apple told TechCrunch that it does not consider this feature equivalent to “setting a default.” In fact, the tech giant says that the feature is Siri intelligence-based, it can change and improve over time as Siri learns to better understand your listening habits.
Apple also pointed out that there is no particular setting in iOS where users can configure a “default” music service, the same way with browser apps and email. While there were many reports highlighting the feature as “setting a default”, it is technically incorrect.
The feature is an attempt to help Siri to learn the listening apps you want to use for different types of audio content — not just music. Perhaps you want to use Spotify to listen to music, but prefer to keep up with your podcasts in Apple Podcasts or some other third-party podcasts app. And you may want to listen to audiobooks in yet another app.
Additionally, app developers can use APIs to allow Siri access to more enhanced intelligence about what people listen to in their app and the reason behind it. This could potentially allow Siri to satisfy users’ requests more accurately, and all the processing takes place on the device.
Given the regulatory scrutiny Apple is under regarding the app ecosystem and App Store, this minor clarification has great importance. Spotify alleged that the Cupertino tech giant is behaving in anti-competitive ways. However, this feature will make the iPhone much smarter about how to play what the user wants to hear, eliminating the need to use Apple’s own apps if you do not want to.
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