HomePod excluded from new Siri
No HomePod model — including the $400 full-size HomePod — will receive the new Siri AI because the hardware lacks sufficient RAM.
Snapshot · Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast
WWDC 2026: Is Siri Actually Good Now?
Explore episode
Jun 12, 2026
Where this was said
iPadOS, WatchOS, and the HomePod Siri Exclusion
At 1:00:12 · chapter starts 48:50
iPadOS 27 inherits nearly all iPhone improvements plus one iPad-specific highlight: file transfers to and from external drives are up to 5 times faster. WatchOS 27's support list generated controversy: Apple initially announced Series 10 and up, corrected it to Series 9 and up, but either way the Apple Watch Ultra 1 — a relatively recent premium product — is excluded, surprising the crew. Vision Pro gains a floating Siri orb (Adam's favorite announcement), the ability to use personal panoramas as immersive environments (David offers 60+ on his website), real-world object identification via Siri, and a new Iceland environment. The HomePod revelation lands as the sharpest irony of the update: Apple's dedicated Siri smart speaker is the only Apple product that won't receive the new Siri AI, because it simply lacks the RAM to run any of the new models — leaving hundreds of dollars of hardware on the old, limited assistant.
External drive transfers 5x faster on iPad
Transferring files between an external drive and an iPad is now up to 5 times faster in iPadOS 27.
WatchOS drops support for Apple Watch Ultra 1
WatchOS 27 only supports Apple Watch Series 9 and newer, dropping the Apple Watch Ultra 1 and SE 2 — surprising given how recently those were sold.
HomePod Gets Left Out of the Siri Revolution
Every HomePod — including the $400 full-size model — is excluded from the new Siri AI because the hardware lacks sufficient RAM. The device Apple sells specifically as a smart speaker powered by Siri is the one product that won't see any of these improvements.
Similar snapshots
Ad monetization for games
Ad-based monetization works well for game apps where users spend extended time in-session, as seen with Grid and Wordle.
Ads don't work for tool apps
Tool-focused apps like PuffCount are poor candidates for ad monetization because users don't stay in-session long enough.
Hard paywall is unskippable
A hard paywall is a screen that blocks all app features unless the user pays or starts a free trial — it cannot be dismissed.
Two core monetization models
Mobile apps are primarily monetized through either ads (best for games) or in-app purchases/subscriptions (best for tools).
YouTube beats every other platform
According to the episode, YouTube outperforms every other social platform for building trust and driving SaaS conversions.
Most users came from YouTube
Vasco stated that the majority of his app's user base came directly from his YouTube channel.
Boost My Domain Rating button
SEO Bot features a 'Boost My Domain Rating' button that routes users directly to Listing Bot, an example of in-product cross-selling.
All products connected to AI
The founder's entire product portfolio is AI-related, making it easier to package products attractively for directories.
AI coding viability debate as hook
The founder attached their SaaS demo to the trending debate about whether AI coding is actually good enough to build a full SaaS product.
