Apple today at WWDC revealed a redesigned Home app to iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura, along with bringing new features.
The reimagined app features an all-new design that makes it easier to view and control your smart home accessories at a glance, and an updated architecture that’s more efficient and reliable. And support for the new Matter smart home connectivity standard enables accessories to work together across platforms””so more people can enjoy the smart home experience
Home tab
- Rooms and favorite accessories are on the refreshed main tab of the Home app, for a whole house view at a glance and easier access to the accessories you use most
Category views
- Enjoy quick access to accessories right at the top of the page with category views for Climate, Lights, Security, Speakers, TVs, and Water
- Tap a category to see all the relevant accessories organized by room and more detailed status information
Camera layout
- See up to four cameras at once with multicamera view, so you can view information about your home right at the top of the screen
- Scroll to the right to see your additional cameras, or tap Show More to see more cameras and to see each one in more detail
Tiles
- Redesigned tiles make different accessories more visually recognizable through shape and color
- Adjust the size of your tiles to draw attention to important accessories in a room, like a thermostat or door lock, or fit more accessories on a page
Lock Screen widgets
- See the status of your home and access your favorite accessories right from the Lock Screen of your iPhone
Architecture
- Enhancements to the underlying architecture enable faster, more reliable performance, especially for homes with many smart accessories
Security and privacy
- Every communication between your iOS device and HomeKit accessory is end-to-end encrypted, and the information about your home and how you use it is stored on your device
- Requests made from Siri-enabled accessories remain private to you
Matter support
- Matter is a new smart home connectivity standard that Apple helped create alongside other industry leaders
- Compatible products work across smart home platforms, so you get more choice and interoperability
- When you use Matter accessories in the Home app, data about how you use your accessories is processed and stored by default in a way that even Apple can’t see, preserving your privacy
- Matter and HomeKit accessories are supported seamlessly by the Home app and Siri on Apple devices
Availability:
The redesigned Home app will be available for iPhone with iOS 16, iPad with iPadOS 16, Apple Watch with watchOS 9, and Mac with macOS Ventura in fall 2022.
