Shortcuts lets AirPlay apps connect to HomePod
(iMore iPhone)

The future is now If you've been playing around with the Siri Suggestions and Shortcuts app, you might be wondering how to make your shortcuts work with the HomePod. Now that iOS 12 is out, there's a new HomePod update, and apps are being updated too, we're seeing whole new ways to interact with HomePod – including triggering AirPlay from your phone automatically. Running Siri Suggestions on HomePod (using AirPlay apps) With Siri Suggestions, any shortcut that can be run from within the Siri interface (and doesn't require opening an app) can be set to run from the HomePod with your own custom phrase. If you're trying to have audio play back with your trigger phrases, apps that have updated for Siri Shortcuts support will start playing on the HomePod – by automatically connecting the device via AirPlay. Let me say that again – triggering an AirPlay shortcut will connect your iPhone or iPad directly to the HomePod, even showing it connected in the Control Cent...