New HomeKit architecture: Apple extends grace period
Even in 2022, Apple had internally switched its smart home system to new technology but did not force users to update. The deadline has been extended again.
Home app in iOS 16: The new architecture also arrived at this point.
(Image: Apple)
Users of Apple's smart home system HomeKit, who have still not updated to the so-called new HomeKit architecture alias HomeKit 2.0, are getting a little more time. As can be seen from an English-language Apple support document updated on Monday, there is now an official deadline until February 10, 2026. Support for the “previous version of Apple Home” will then end, writes the iPhone manufacturer. Previously, it was said that it would end in autumn 2025. This can also be seen from the German version of the support page.
A few more months
The final end for the old HomeKit architecture had already been hinted at in the spring; at that time, the first indications of this were found in an iOS beta. Apple has given users plenty of time: the update campaign began back in iOS 16.2 and Co., which was released in the winter of 2022. However, there were initially massive technical difficulties, which led to the withdrawal of the update and a subsequent new attempt several months later.
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The transition should have been completed for most users long ago, but Apple has not forced it for reasons of goodwill until now. How this renewed postponement comes about remains unclear. Apple provides no information about the deadline extension. The manufacturer still advertises as follows: “Update Apple Home to improve the performance of smart home accessories and use features like guest access, robot vacuums, and activity history in the Home app.”
A slightly faster system
In practice, the switch to HomeKit 2.0 actually makes the smart home system a bit more stable—but it's not perfect even after the update. A newer version would have been due long ago, but Apple is making no move here, apparently seeing HomeKit 2.0 as the basis for the coming years.
The update is primarily intended to ensure greater speed and reliability under the hood. With the old architecture, the controller, i.e., the Home app on iPhone, iPad, or Mac, communicates directly with the HomeKit accessories. The status of a device is not updated in the background, but only when you open the app. With the new architecture, requests always go through a control center (an Apple TV or a HomePod), which continuously updates the status of the devices in the background and forwards it to the Home app. Since the update now runs smoothly, there is actually little to object to it.
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