The topic Apple Home recently got better in three ways, here’s what’s new is currently the subject of lively discussion — readers and analysts are keeping a close eye on developments.
This is taking place in a dynamic environment: companies’ decisions and competitors’ reactions can quickly change the picture.
Apple is expected to launch a wave of new Home products later this year, after iOS 27 brings Siri’s long-awaited overhaul. But there are three ways Apple Home has recently gotten better during the iOS 26 cycle too. Here’s what’s new.
iOS 26 introduced a new Adaptive Temperature feature in Apple’s Home app that’s meant to boost the ‘smarts’ in smart thermostats. Here’s what it does:
Set your thermostat to automatically adjust when you’re on your way home, when you go to sleep, or when you’re away for an extended period of time. Your iPhone uses on-device intelligence to predict when you’re on your way home to bring it to the correct temperature by the time you get there, and adjusts the thermostat to save energy when you are far away from home. It also responds to the sleep schedule created on iPhone to adjust the temperature for when you go to sleep and wake up.
Even though Apple technically debuted Adaptive Temperature in iOS 26.0, the first supported smart thermostat just launched earlier this month.
The Aqara Smart Thermostat W200 debuted with full support for Adaptive Temperature, letting your home stay comfortable and energy-efficient with zero effort on your part. All you need is an Apple home hub.
Aqara’s W200 also doubles as a Matter 1.4 hub with Thread and Zigbee built in, and it pairs nicely with Aqara smart locks and video doorbells too, letting you control and view live video feeds right on the 4” touchscreen.
Apple Home also benefited from the recent arrival of the first smart lock that supports Apple Home Key and Ultra Wideband (UWB).
That product is the Aqara Smart Lock U400—clearly, Aqara is going all-in on Apple integrations.
Apple Home Key is set up in the Home app for your smart lock, allowing you to easily lock and unlock your door and share access with guests.
The especially great thing about Aqara’s U400 is that Ultra Wideband feature, though. UWB means your door can automatically lock and unlock based on your presence alone. And it’s far more precise, secure, and reliable than alternatives.
If you’ve ever bought a multipack of home accessories, you’ll know it can be a hassle to set them up one-by-one.
But in iOS 26.2, Apple gave the Home app a convenient upgrade in that department.
Multipack accessory pairing in the Home app lets you use the same setup code to easily enroll multiple accessories when sold together
That’s right: with one setup code, you can quickly and easily add a multipack of smart plugs, light bulbs, motion sensors, and more to the Home app.
I’ve moved around a lot in recent years, and grown tired of the smart home accessory setup process. So I’m always a fan of changes that make setups easier.
What new Apple Home features do you hope to see arrive in iOS 27? Let us know in the comments.