I don’t know anyone outside of Apple who knows more about Workflow than Federico Viticci. I love his Workflow coverage, learn something from every post.

Yesterday, Federico posted a how-to called How to Adjust iOS’ Volume via Workflow When Streaming Audio to HomePod. A bit from that post:

A few days ago, I realized I could make a workflow to quickly adjust my iPhone’s volume when streaming music to one of our HomePods.

And:

Currently, iOS 11 and the Home app (where the HomePod’s main controls live) don’t offer a precise way to control system volume as a numeric value. I could use the built-in volume sliders, but they’re sloppy and don’t show you the volume percentage at all. I could use Siri, but I don’t want to talk every time I need to tweak the volume. Alternatively, I could tap the HomePod’s volume buttons, but those only adjust the speaker’s volume in 5% increments. By now you’ve probably realized that I’m a little particular about my nocturnal volume levels. And particular problems on iOS are often fixed with a familiar solution: automation via Workflow.

First things first, I find this an interesting problem. Having to talk to Siri to change the volume gets old. Ideally, I’d love an Apple Watch app that lets me twirl the Digital Crown to raise or lower the volume. That would be friction-free.

Federico’s workflow does offer a next best solution. But it only works when you AirPlay music to your HomePod. And that’s where the headline comes in. There’s a wall between the HomePod and the rest of the Apple ecosystem.

There’s no way to build an app or script that controls the HomePod. No way to add multiple or named timers, or any sort of Siri plugin for HomePod. No way to adjust the HomePod EQ, either.

Most likely, this is Apple trying to precisely control the experience, to keep someone from BLueToothing in to HomePod with poor audio equipment, or doing the same via line-in, then complaining about the audio quality. Same with a poorly written Siri plugin. The sense I get is that Apple wants the HomePod experience to be as pristine as possible.

It’s also possible that this is an issue of timing, that getting HomePod to market was such a massive undertaking that there simply wasn’t time to build out a plug-in architecture.

But to me, this wall is in the way. I’d love a workflow like Federico’s to control HomePod directly. And I’d love the ability to directly tie my Apple Watch digital crown to the HomePod volume. And lots of other stuff.

Adding this to my WWDC wish list.

UPDATE: I know I can control my HomePod from my iPhone directly. But try as I might, I’ve not been able to control volume from my iPhone, using the Control Center interface, or the Home app. I can get the current HomePod song to show up on my Apple Watch, but when I roll the digital crown, I change the volume on my iPhone, not my HomePod.

This may simply be a bug, but does not address the larger issue of an open, scriptable path from my Mac or iPhone to my HomePod and to HomePod Siri.