Byte-Sized Brief
- HomeKit name has been replaced in tvOS beta.
- The new branding is “Apple Home.”
- The change is probably just a fresh label.
Apple has a long history of renaming things, sometimes to match a bigger vision and other times just to keep the brand looking fresh. Now, it looks like HomeKit is the next to go. In the latest tvOS 26 beta, mentions of “HomeKit” have been swapped out for “Apple Home” in the Settings app. The name might feel familiar because Apple already has the Home app that lets you control and manage smart home accessories compatible with HomeKit, the software framework that lets you control and automate devices.
In the past, rebrands have sometimes preceded big transitions, like MobileMe becoming iCloud, and other times it’s been mostly cosmetic, like Apple ID becoming Apple Account. So, while this could mean the start of a broader smart home push, it’s more than likely just a tidying-up of names. After all, Apple Home is a much more consumer-friendly name than HomeKit, which feels more developer-y anyway. The timing lines up with rumors of new hardware coming over the next several months, including the 4th-gen Apple TV 4K and the HomePod-esque smart home hub that some are calling HomePad.
The Bottom Line
Apple is swapping the HomeKit name for Apple Home in its software. It might mean big changes are coming, or it could just be a new label.
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