As Apple introduced the new Watch Series 9 this week, two features struck me because I’ve wanted them on Wear OS smartwatches for years and I couldn’t believe that Apple was introducing them before Google: on-device Siri commands and now-playing HomePod notifications. Let’s focus on the latter for now.
Apple will let you control HomePod music from the screen that’s always on you — your smartwatch. That’s super useful.
Apple’s Watch Series 9 and HomePod integration is based on the watch’s second-generation Ultra-wideband (UWB) chip, which detects nearby devices and measures how far they are and in which direction. When the Watch Series 9 recognizes a nearby HomePod within a four-meter distance, it’ll immediately surface a card to the top of the widget stack. If nothing is playing, the card will suggest music, podcasts, and audiobooks to play. But if something is already playing, it’ll show that and let you control it.