Apple Home app iOS 16 gets major changes

iOS 16 will be released later this year and will bring quite a few changes. We see this in the renewed Home application, which is very useful especially for those who use many HomeKit-supported accessories and products.

According to Apple, the app will have a completely new design. This should make it easier for users to navigate the app and manage different devices. In addition, users can access multiple categories, allowing better placement of devices within the app under the headings of climate, lamps, speakers and televisions, water and safety. For example, it should become much easier to turn off all the lights in the house at once via the Home app. You also need to be able to lock all the doors at once.

Also read: What is Apple HomeKit and what can you do with it?

After the update, you will see your complete smart home again in the Home tab. In addition to your favourites, you’ll also find rooms there. Additionally, the Home tab will soon provide an overview of multiple cameras in the home (provided you have multiple cameras, of course), so you can see more at a glance. And when you pan the cameras horizontally, you will see other images (provided you have multiple cameras that are not in the overview).

Additionally, tiles of light-colored accessories indicate the status of a device. Also, when you touch such a tile, you immediately run them. And when you tap the name of the accessory, you access extensive control options. Finally, there are also new HomeKit widgets for the locked screen, so you don’t necessarily have to visit the Apple Home app to get certain things done.

Plus, there’s generally good news for anyone with a smart home: iOS 16 and, accordingly, the Home app will support Matter. This is a universal smart home standard that allows devices to communicate with each other. Because smart devices can be connected to each other, it doesn’t matter whether you have invested in the ecosystem of Apple, Google, Samsung or any other partner.

This smart home stand is not only secure and accessible, it also gives Apple Home and HomeKit users access to devices they’ve never been able to access before. You can keep using the Home app if you want, so nothing will change for your daily use – except you can add multiple (kinds) of devices to your smart home. For example, you eventually get access to robot vacuums and pet feeders.