Apple could be retiring HomeKit name with simple switch

Apple could be moving away from the HomeKit name. The term 'HomeKit' is currently used to describe Apple's smart home platform, through which you can connect and control various devices.

In the fifth developer beta of tvOS 26, many references to the name HomeKit have been replaced with Apple Home. These changes have been made in the Settings app for Apple TV devices. One example is the change of the name of the 'AirPlay and HomeKit' menu to the 'AirPlay and Apple Home' menu. Another example, from a report by MacRumors, is found in an error message. This used to read "Your Apple TV won't connect with iCloud and HomeKit until you add a new default user" and is now "Your Apple TV won't connect with iCloud and Apple Home until you add a new default user".

Historically, Apple Home has been used as the name of the brand's smart home app, and to refer to the wider smart home ecosystem. It is unclear whether these wording changes were made to improve clarity or if they reflect a broader move to retire the term Apple HomeKit, which seems more likely. Apple's tvOS 26 is expected to roll out this fall to devices including the Apple TV 4K Wi-Fi (3rd Generation) (64 GB version curr. $179.99 at Amazon).