José Adorno/BGR In 2026, Apple is expected to unveil several new smart home devices. Although they were reportedly postponed because Apple Intelligence is bad and the current iteration of Siri can’t even keep up with basic conversations, the company continues to improve what will be the center of the experience, the Apple Home app. With iOS 26, released in September 2025, Apple added an all-new Liquid Glass design, adaptive temperature for compatible thermostats, and a few other goodies that make this software more useful. Even though Apple recently released iOS 26.5, the company hasn’t focused too much on its Home app since iOS 26 launched last fall. Still, those who rely on the Home app to control their home and smart devices have benefited from a few improvements, including one that directly affects HomePod speakers. According to rumors, Apple is currently preparing to launch a brand new Apple TV 4K, new models of HomePod, a HomePad, which will be a combination of a HomePod with an iPad screen, security cameras and even a locker with Face ID. Since we may have to wait until the iOS 27 announcement or even later to learn more about these upcoming products, here are some of the notable changes Apple added to the Home app in iOS 26. Adaptive temperature Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock One of the main features of iOS 26 regarding the Home app is adaptive temperature. After all, thermostats are only useful if you don’t think about them all the time. With the latest software update, you can let your iPhone do the hard work of predicting when you’ll get home and then suggest the perfect temperature for you. So every time you come home from work, take your kids to school, or just experience a terribly hot or cold day, the temperature in your home will be exactly what you like. In addition to adjusting the temperature to your preferences, this feature is also great for helping you save energy when you’re away from home, as the house doesn’t need to be as hot or cold if no one is around. Using on-device intelligence, Apple says this feature gets information about your routine by understanding your sleep schedule created on the iPhone, and it leaves the ideal temperature every time you go to bed or wake up. To take advantage of this feature, Apple says users must have an Apple TV or HomePod, in addition to a compatible Matter thermostat. Users also need to meet a few requirements, including having the latest software update on their smart home device and enabling location services for the Home app and home accessories. A new Liquid Glass experience The second biggest change coming to the Apple Home app with iOS 26 is the introduction of the Liquid Glass design language. When the company unveiled iOS 26, it said Liquid Glass “makes apps and system experiences more expressive and enjoyable, while keeping iOS instantly familiar.” With this change, Apple says it wants content to be what users always look at when interacting with their phones, so app icons, widgets, and the way people navigate with their devices will simply be more seamless as everything blends together. Despite a revamped app icon for the Home app, Apple also offers a new Clear icon and updated default, dark, and tinted options. Once users open the Home app in iOS 26, for example, they’ll use the new Liquid Glass UI for navigation, as the bottom tabs are now in a hover bar. By swiping across the “Home,” “Automation,” and “Discovery” tabs, users can understand a little more about the Liquid Glass experience on the app and how Apple has focused on prioritizing content. Finally, the company also updated the buttons and the way interaction occurs when you tap related products in the Home app. AirPlay improvements and registration of several accessories José Adorno/BGR Also related to the Home app, the third feature introduced with iOS 26 is AirPlay improvements. AirPlay is Apple’s proprietary technology that allows users to stream video and audio to speakers, TVs, soundbars, and more. With the latest software update, when your HomePod plays songs using AirPlay, everyone added to the Home app can see what’s playing, control the music, and even control which HomePod speakers are playing the song. This gives everyone more freedom to enjoy a collaborative sound experience. Apple also improved AirPlay with Siri over AirPlay, because you can ask Siri to play on other HomePod speakers in your home. The fourth change came a little later with iOS 26.2. With this update, Apple added multi-ipack accessory pairing. Basically, if you need to register multiple accessories from the same manufacturer, like bulbs, light strips, or anything else that supports the latest Matter standard, you can use the same setup code, making it a simpler experience to pair them all to your Home app and then control them with your iPhone, iPad, or smart home hub. Previously, you had to match them one by one, which made the whole process much longer than it should be. Aqara Smart Lock integration Before Apple’s secret smart lock with Face ID support, Aqara launched at CES 2026 probably the best smart lock available on the market today. Along with the Aqara U400 smart lock, it’s the first device of its kind to support Apple’s ultra-wideband (UWB) chip, meaning you don’t need to hold your iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock your door. As you approach the door, Apple’s ultra-wideband technology will unlock the door for you, which is especially useful if your hands are full. Ultra-wideband technology was recently improved with a second-generation chip in the iPhone 16 or newer, but every major iPhone model since the iPhone 11 and Apple Watch Series 6 has ultra-wideband technology. What’s best about this smart lock is that you can also share access with guests, so even if you’re not home, you can send a temporary digital key to a friend or family member. Other authentication methods include a password or fingerprint. Unlike other smart lockers that use Bluetooth, the ultra-wideband chip is much more precise, allowing it to identify your device even if it’s in your pocket or on your wrist, so you don’t have to worry about picking it up or approaching your door with your device in hand. Post navigation How much phone data do you really need?
José Adorno/BGR In 2026, Apple is expected to unveil several new smart home devices. Although they were reportedly postponed because Apple Intelligence is bad and the current iteration of Siri can’t even keep up with basic conversations, the company continues to improve what will be the center of the experience, the Apple Home app. With iOS 26, released in September 2025, Apple added an all-new Liquid Glass design, adaptive temperature for compatible thermostats, and a few other goodies that make this software more useful. Even though Apple recently released iOS 26.5, the company hasn’t focused too much on its Home app since iOS 26 launched last fall. Still, those who rely on the Home app to control their home and smart devices have benefited from a few improvements, including one that directly affects HomePod speakers. According to rumors, Apple is currently preparing to launch a brand new Apple TV 4K, new models of HomePod, a HomePad, which will be a combination of a HomePod with an iPad screen, security cameras and even a locker with Face ID. Since we may have to wait until the iOS 27 announcement or even later to learn more about these upcoming products, here are some of the notable changes Apple added to the Home app in iOS 26. Adaptive temperature Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock One of the main features of iOS 26 regarding the Home app is adaptive temperature. After all, thermostats are only useful if you don’t think about them all the time. With the latest software update, you can let your iPhone do the hard work of predicting when you’ll get home and then suggest the perfect temperature for you. So every time you come home from work, take your kids to school, or just experience a terribly hot or cold day, the temperature in your home will be exactly what you like. In addition to adjusting the temperature to your preferences, this feature is also great for helping you save energy when you’re away from home, as the house doesn’t need to be as hot or cold if no one is around. Using on-device intelligence, Apple says this feature gets information about your routine by understanding your sleep schedule created on the iPhone, and it leaves the ideal temperature every time you go to bed or wake up. To take advantage of this feature, Apple says users must have an Apple TV or HomePod, in addition to a compatible Matter thermostat. Users also need to meet a few requirements, including having the latest software update on their smart home device and enabling location services for the Home app and home accessories. A new Liquid Glass experience The second biggest change coming to the Apple Home app with iOS 26 is the introduction of the Liquid Glass design language. When the company unveiled iOS 26, it said Liquid Glass “makes apps and system experiences more expressive and enjoyable, while keeping iOS instantly familiar.” With this change, Apple says it wants content to be what users always look at when interacting with their phones, so app icons, widgets, and the way people navigate with their devices will simply be more seamless as everything blends together. Despite a revamped app icon for the Home app, Apple also offers a new Clear icon and updated default, dark, and tinted options. Once users open the Home app in iOS 26, for example, they’ll use the new Liquid Glass UI for navigation, as the bottom tabs are now in a hover bar. By swiping across the “Home,” “Automation,” and “Discovery” tabs, users can understand a little more about the Liquid Glass experience on the app and how Apple has focused on prioritizing content. Finally, the company also updated the buttons and the way interaction occurs when you tap related products in the Home app. AirPlay improvements and registration of several accessories José Adorno/BGR Also related to the Home app, the third feature introduced with iOS 26 is AirPlay improvements. AirPlay is Apple’s proprietary technology that allows users to stream video and audio to speakers, TVs, soundbars, and more. With the latest software update, when your HomePod plays songs using AirPlay, everyone added to the Home app can see what’s playing, control the music, and even control which HomePod speakers are playing the song. This gives everyone more freedom to enjoy a collaborative sound experience. Apple also improved AirPlay with Siri over AirPlay, because you can ask Siri to play on other HomePod speakers in your home. The fourth change came a little later with iOS 26.2. With this update, Apple added multi-ipack accessory pairing. Basically, if you need to register multiple accessories from the same manufacturer, like bulbs, light strips, or anything else that supports the latest Matter standard, you can use the same setup code, making it a simpler experience to pair them all to your Home app and then control them with your iPhone, iPad, or smart home hub. Previously, you had to match them one by one, which made the whole process much longer than it should be. Aqara Smart Lock integration Before Apple’s secret smart lock with Face ID support, Aqara launched at CES 2026 probably the best smart lock available on the market today. Along with the Aqara U400 smart lock, it’s the first device of its kind to support Apple’s ultra-wideband (UWB) chip, meaning you don’t need to hold your iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock your door. As you approach the door, Apple’s ultra-wideband technology will unlock the door for you, which is especially useful if your hands are full. Ultra-wideband technology was recently improved with a second-generation chip in the iPhone 16 or newer, but every major iPhone model since the iPhone 11 and Apple Watch Series 6 has ultra-wideband technology. What’s best about this smart lock is that you can also share access with guests, so even if you’re not home, you can send a temporary digital key to a friend or family member. Other authentication methods include a password or fingerprint. Unlike other smart lockers that use Bluetooth, the ultra-wideband chip is much more precise, allowing it to identify your device even if it’s in your pocket or on your wrist, so you don’t have to worry about picking it up or approaching your door with your device in hand.
