iOS and iPadOS 14.5 Betas Let Users Pick The Default Streaming Music Service Used by Siri

As MacRumors’ Tim Hardwick reported earlier today, the iOS and iPadOS 14.5 betas permit users to change the default music streaming service used for playback by Siri.

The new feature, which originally surfaced on Reddit and reported on by The 8-Bit, appears the first time you ask Siri to play music. Siri displays a list of audio apps installed on your device, asking you to pick one. As you can see from screenshots of Federico’s iPhone above, the feature currently suggests audio apps that can’t respond to music requests like podcast players, but he has confirmed that it works with Spotify for playing individual songs and playlists. Switching streaming services after the initial prompt to pick one can be accomplished using Siri too.

Late last year, Apple introduced the ability to change the streaming service used with the HomePod and HomePod mini, so it’s not surprising that the feature that Apple is expanding the feature to all Siri requests. However, the new iOS and iPadOS 14.5 feature is nonetheless significant because it will reach a far larger audience of iPhone and iPad users that don’t own a HomePod.