Is Siri Shortcuts Just Misunderstood?

Some new Siri-supporting apps — including Airbnb — and capabilities have me rethinking the digital assistant feature

You may not use Siri, Apple’s voice and digital assistant, but, like an eager-to-please deputy, Siri is paying attention to your habits and busily creating shortcuts in the background that it thinks could make your life easier, or at least a little more automated.

When Apple introduced Siri Shortcuts at its 2018 World Wide Developer Conference, it wasn’t exactly the Siri overhaul we were looking for. More problematically, Apple introduced a confusing Shortcuts app that, at first blush, came across as a sort of erector set for more complex Siri Routines.

I’m beginning to believe, however, that Siri, its shortcuts, and even that app may be misunderstood. And now, with a bunch of apps adding fresh support for Siri Shortcuts, it might be time to reconsider Apple’s intentions and how we can get more out of the voice assistant that doesn’t get much respect.

At left, inside Shortcuts app and its library of pre-built routines. Center is the American Airlines Siri Shortcut and, at right, is the Drop app’s Espresso Siri Shortcut.

“Hey Siri, make an espresso,” we said to an iPhone. Over my shoulder I heard the sound of rushing steam. I got up and walked over to the very expensive, in-wall Bosch…