Siri Setting in iOS 14.5 Beta Lets Users Select Default Music Streaming Service
Apple last week released beta versions of upcoming iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 updates to developers and public beta testers, and among a number of new features, Apple has added the ability to set a default music streaming service when using Siri to play songs.
First spotted by Reddit users, the first time you ask Siri to play a song in iOS 14.5, you are given the option to choose from a list of installed third-party music streaming apps in addition to Apple Music.
After an app is selected, Siri defaults to the service thereafter whenever it is asked to play a song. So for example, if Spotify is selected and you say “Hey Siri, play Moonlight Drive by The Doors,” you no longer have to specify “…on Spotify” to prevent it from trying to play the track in Apple Music.
As noted by The 8-Bit, Siri will also set a music streaming service as the default if you ask it to play from that particular app for the first time.
According to users who have played with the feature, it only works with specific phrases at the moment, and sometimes revert back to Apple Music, so it sounds like there’s still some work to do on Apple’s end before it’s fully consistent.
iOS 14.5 is the biggest update to iOS 14 to date, introducing several significant new features, including the ability to unlock your iPhone using an Apple Watch when wearing a mask. Be sure to check out our dedicated iOS 14.5 guide for all the details and what you can expect when it’s officially released.
