WWDC is only 5 weeks away, so I figured i needed to capitalize on writing about it beforehand. Here is a feature set that could benefit us all if apple implemented it.

I started off with an iPhone XS that i got in November, and slowly purchased more automation equipment. My first was the Ikea Trådfri bulbs and gateway, then got an Apple TV to act as a home base. I have since considered setting up Plex+Homebridge with Webhooks for more serious automation. Maybe even a popcorn machine, that way I can have my room ready for a movie, popcorn fresh and ready, and the movie up and ready to go with a simple command.

OK, all of this is possible now, so what about WWDC can improve this? The answer is Siri Shortcuts and HomeKit. Currently HomeKit automation is totally isolated from Siri shortcuts, and this is mostly due to shortcuts not accepting passive triggers. With the addition of passive triggers, automation would work much more in the way people believe it should. With HomeKit integrated into siri shortcuts, we could see the start of such automation, like when a person arrives home automatically running an app shortcut to turn on the lights and start playing music, and so on.

In addition to this, I've noticed the Apple TV appearing in the home app. Right now it doesn't seem to do anything, or even be added to automations. Despite HomeKit having support for TVs, homebridge taking advantage of this with plugins, Apple has yet to allow me to control my Apple TV through HomeKit. So Apple, if anything, let me control my TV via the home app through the Apple TV this year!

A final wish of mine relates to Back to My Mac. Now discontinued, you could previously connect your Mac and transfer data between devices securely on the home network. Now take that same concept and imagine being able to securely connect to your home or office network through Apple TV or HomePod, but with network drive support, and SSH into local servers without a VPN.

In short, one of my wishes for WWDC this year is tighter integration between Apple TV, HomeKit, and Siri Shortcuts!

Thank you so much for reading this pilot post! Any and all feedback is welcome.