Siri Confirmation Tone

Sometime in the last few months I noticed our HomePods would respond to some requests with a new “ding” tone. I couldn’t make sense of the logic for when the ding would play versus when Siri would respond with the traditional, spoken “Okay” message, but it turns out the answer is right in the HomePod 16.3 Release Notes:

Siri confirmation tone will now play to indicate when smart home requests are completed for accessories that may not visibly show a change or are located in a different room.

16.3 shipped towards the end of January 2023 and I notice this most often with our Goodnight scene that turns off a number of lights in other rooms.

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Recent content I've written for you—just for you!— to enjoy while you're here.

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Quick commentary and links to other sources you'll find interesting. I promise.

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Some personal background, links to related projects, and other ways to connect.

Hi there. My name is Tom Pacyk and this is my small home on the web. I love the intersection of design, technology, and communication, which is a combination that led me to a career in sales and marketing roles at places like Zoom and ServiceNow. They're a bit old now, but I also had the opportunity to publish a couple of books along the way.

Portland, Oregon is home for me, my wife Beth, and our three kids, but I'm actually a Midwestern transplant—I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and went to school at Purdue and Illinois. When I find some free time I'm probably going to concerts, rooting for the Portland Timbers, or working on my Sunshine Burn Photography project.