Apple wants to make Siri and HomePod Mini a bigger part of your home with iOS 15 updates
Among other updates, Siri is coming to third-party devices, iOS 15 will support Matter, and Apple TV will control smart home gadgets.
During Apple's annual WWDC keynote presentation, the Cupertino, California, tech giant announced a slew of new smart home updates -- most notably, that voice assistant Siri is now available for developers to use in their third-party products.
The tools are available now for developers to begin integrating Siri with their home accessories -- and one of Ecobee's thermostats will be among the first devices to roll it out. But the feature will still require users to have a HomePod Mini in the house, so that requests can be locally processed as much as possible.
In addition, Apple said it'll begin working with Matter, the device integration standard formerly known as CHIP, starting with iOS 15. Apple has already begun working toward integrating with other brands, such as Google and Amazon , by backing Matter, but this announcement brings us one step closer to seeing those integrations actually materialize.
Another big change: You'll soon be able to control your smart home devices through your Apple TV .
That won't be the only update for Apple TV; Apple TV 4K devices will also pair with HomePod Minis, using them as stereo speakers. And you'll be able to use Siri, through the HomePod Mini, to control the Apple TV -- for example, pulling up shows or controlling the volume.
These updates will come with TVOS 15.