Apple’s smart home is experiencing one of the most profound transformations since the birth of HomeKit. After years of coexistence between old and new infrastructure, Apple has decided to definitively close the previous chapter: from February 10, 2026 the old Apple Home architecture will no longer be supported. Anyone who uses the Home app will necessarily have to switch to the new versionunder penalty of being unable to continue managing accessories, automations and shares.
Apple Home enters a new era
Table of Contents
- Apple Home enters a new era
- Why Apple changed its architecture
- Is the February 10th update mandatory? Yes, and it pays to prepare
- First check: the operating systems
- Second check: the center of the house
- Do you need to buy a new device? Not always
- What are the cheapest and most compatible iPhones, iPads and Macs to manage the transition?
- Do I need to buy a hub? What is the minimum?
- Recommended strategy to spend the minimum
- What happens to accessories already installed?
- Matter and Thread: why this step is important
This is not a cosmetic update, but a real one rewriting the “engine” of the smart homealready activated some time ago and designed to resolve limitations that have become increasingly evident over the years: slow responses, unreliable synchronizations, difficulty in managing many devices and, above all, the arrival of new standards such as Matter and Thread.
Why Apple changed its architecture
When HomeKit was introduced in 2014the idea of a home controlled by iPhone was pioneering. Over time, however, the number of compatible accessories has grown dramatically, as has the complexity of the automations. The original architecture, based on outdated assumptions, has begun to show cracks.
Apple therefore took the opportunity of introducing Matterthe standard shared with Google, Amazon and other big names in the industry, to rethink everything from scratch. The new Apple Home or, if you want, Casait is more modern, faster, more reliable and designed to communicate with devices of different brands without having to switch between fragile integrations or buffer solutions every time.
Apple initiated the structural change to HomeKit in 2022stabilized it in 2023: for two years it gave users the option to choose whether to update or not. Now that transition phase is over.
Is the February 10th update mandatory? Yes, and it pays to prepare
If you use Apple Home, upgrading is not optional. Anyone who doesn’t update their iPhone, iPad or Mac by the deadline:
- you will no longer be able to access your home from the Home app;
- will not be able to modify scenes and automations;
- risks accessories control problems.
The smart home doesn’t suddenly stop working, it becomes inaccessible from incompatible devices. And this is where the problems begin for those with older hardware.
First check: the operating systems
To access the new architecture, precise minimum versions are needed:
- iPhone and iPad must have at least a iOS/iPadOS 16.2;
- Macs must support macOS 13.1 Ventura;
- Apple TV needs to be updated to tvOS 16.2 or later.
An iPhone, Mac, or iPad that cannot be updated to these operating system versions are automatically excluded from the updated house. They will no longer see accessories, rooms or automations.
Second check: the center of the house
A key point changes with the new Apple Home: the iPad is no longer supported as a home hub. It may remain a control panel, but it is no longer the “brain” that manages automations, remote access (from the internet outside the home) and notifications.
For these functions you need at least one of:
- Apple TV;
- First or second generation HomePod;
- HomePod mini.
Who has, for example, a 4th generation Apple TV HD or a 1st generation Apple TV 4K can breathe a sigh of relief: they are still compatible (with tvOS 16.2) and perfectly usable as a home center.
Do you need to buy a new device? Not always
The good news is that you only need one Apple device compatible with the operating systems mentioned above to manage the whole updated house. The automations, in fact, are not linked to the individual iPhone or Mac, but to the home itself and are synchronized via iCloud.
This means that if you do not have a device that manages the OS seen above you can:
- buy a single compatible iPhone, iPad or Mac;
- use that to update and administer the house;
- continue to get everything working through the hub.
Many users solve the problem with a compatible “service” iPhone or with a recent iPad used as a fixed panel.
What are the cheapest and most compatible iPhones, iPads and Macs to manage the transition?
Everyone can run iOS, iPadOS, macOS mentioned before!
Obviously you can turn to the used and refurbished market to find a compatible Apple device. It may also have poor battery conditions and need to be powered by the mains. The important thing is that it allows you to manage automations, add or delete accessories (to update them, move them or resell them). So here are the mini models you can buy.
Obviously the sources can be specialized online sites such as trendevice, eBay or Amazon.
So respectively we have:
iPhone
Older models/minimum processor compatible with iOS 16.2 include:
iPad
Compatible with iPadOS 16.2:
Mac
Compatible with macOS 13.1:
Do I need to buy a hub? What is the minimum?
If you don’t already have a hub, yes. The cheapest and most sensible solution today is:
- Apple TV 4K (also used – but we recommend the threaded model if you don’t want to buy Homepod mini) or HomePod mini new (with thread)
A typical case is that of those who own 1st generation Apple TV 4K: it is still fully compatible and can continue to act as the center of the home without problems.
Recommended strategy to spend the minimum
In many cases the ideal combination is:
- Apple TV compatible as hub;
- a compatible iPhone or iPad as a control device;
- any older (but compatible) devices used only as panels or remote controls.
It’s the easiest way to Don’t throw away a smart home that works.
What happens to accessories already installed?
The accessories they don’t stop working. Even if you lose access to Apple Home from an older device, lights, outlets, sensors, and thermostats continue to work with:
- the original apps from the manufacturers;
- any compatible alternative platforms (such as Alexa or Google).
What you lose if you don’t have at least one updated control device is the unified experience: cross automations, centralized control and Siri as director of the house.
Matter and Thread: why this step is important
The new Apple Home architecture is designed for the future, not just to solve present problems. Matter allows you to use accessories from different brands without depending on closed ecosystems, while Thread offers a more stable and efficient local network than traditional Wi-Fi for home automation.
Apple Home, with this basis, becomes a more open platform and ready to welcome new categories of devices, such as robot vacuum cleaners, advanced sensors and advanced energy systems.
For all the news, reviews and tutorials on Home Automation, accessories and technology, consult our CasaVerdeSmart section.
date: 2026-02-07 02:36:00