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Apple's playbook is to launch with APIs for internal use and then, frequently, open them. Examples include iOS support for third-party apps, third-party access

Apple's playbook is to launch with APIs for internal use and then, frequently, open them. Examples include iOS support for third-party apps, third-party access to a number of watchOS 2.0 APIs, and third-party access to iOS APIs such NFC, Touch ID, camera overlays, etc. etc. Apple is also ruthless about omitting features (copy/paste, anyone?) from 1.0 releases. This is in contrast to hardware support, which has tended to contract (floppy drives, CD drives, Ethernet cables, USB jacks, iPhone headphone jack). It also makes sense to many of us who have done platform development and/or supported public APIs. I'd want more evidence before concluding that HomePod's initial limitations are an M.O rather than an MVP.

JeremyBanks 9y ago
They have had internal support for voice-controlling your music since iOS 1. They had a cross-application API that let you voice control arbitrary music apps on Mac OS since at least 10.4, probably earlier. Music has been a core feature of the iPhone since they day it launched. It isn't an accident that they've failed to extend voice support to third parties after ten years. If they did plan to add it any time soon, they would have easily been able to get that to market before HomePod. They decided they'd rather continue trying to shove users into their subpar Music service, instead of supporting what users actually want and use. Conclusion: Don't Buy unless the only audio service you ever use is Apple Music.