Apple in its upcoming iOS 16.4 update will reintroduce the revamped HomeKit architecture it originally pulled in December due to widespread issues, MacRumors can confirm.


The backend code indicates that Apple is ready to reintroduce the updated Home architecture that was released with the iOS 16.2 update, only to be retired a week after launch due to bugs and installation issues.

At the time, Apple said the removal was temporary and the option to upgrade “come back soon,” but new code references discovered by Nicholas Alvarez (@nicolas09F9) indicate that the architecture will indeed return with the release of iOS 16.4, starting with the first beta which could arrive as early as this week.

Apple says the update improves the reliability and efficiency of communication between smart home accessories and Apple devices, and it’s something Apple has been working on since announcing iOS 16 at WWDC. in June 2022.

When the Home architecture was first released, some ‌‌HomeKit‌‌ devices disappeared from ‌‌HomeKit‌‌ configurations or became stuck with “configuring/updating” status. This also caused invitations to share home with others to fail, and it broke ‌‌HomeKit‌‌ secure video recording for some users.

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