It’s been more than two years since Apple pulled the switch on an all-new architecture for its smart home app, but there are still plenty of users who are hanging onto the old Home infrastructure, either to maintain compatibility with older devices or for fear of a bumpy transition.
Now comes word that upcoming version of iOS may force Apple users to switch to the new Home architecture, like it or not.
Text strings discovered by 9to5Mac in iOS 18.4 beta 3 include a dire warning for those still using the older Home framework: “Support for your current version of Apple Home will end soon. Update now to avoid interruptions with your accessories and automations.”
Apple hasn’t formally announced that it will end support for the old Home architecture, and the uncovered code doesn’t specify which version of iOS will force users to make the switch.
But it seems likely that Apple will drop support for the older Home architecture sooner or later, and MacRumors predicts that iOS 19 will “almost certainly” see the Home app moving completely to the updated framework.
Apple first introduced its new Home architecture back in December 2022 with the release of iOS 16.2, promising “more reliable and efficient” operation of HomeKit-compatible smart home devices. At the time, Apple Home users were given the option of switching to the new framework or sticking with the older architecture.
But soon after that iOS update arrived, HomeKit users who did make the switch began reporting a variety of problems, including Apple home hubs that stopped responding as well as HomeKit devices that were stuck updating their status.
Apple pulled the option to update to the new Home architecture soon after the complaints started pouring in. It finally reintroduced the new framework with iOS 16.4 in February 2023.
Since then, the new Apple Home setup has worked relatively smoothly. I made the switch myself in early 2023 and didn’t encounter any problems.
That said, plenty of Apple Home users have been understandably wary of making the switch, either from an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” standpoint or because they’re concerned about compatibility with legacy smart home devices. Another issue is that while the old Home framework lets you use an iPad as a home hub, the new architecture doesn’t, meaning you’d need to switch to an Apple TV 4K or a HomePod.
But a decision to drop support for the older Home architecture seemed inevitable, and if you haven’t made the jump already, you might be pushed before the year is out.