The latest tvOS 26 beta suggests that Apple might be rebranding HomeKit to Apple Home later this year.
tvOS 26 Hints at a Fresh New Start for ‘HomeKit,’ with the Branding Set to be Changed to ‘Apple Home’
Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem is one of the best around, and it seems as though it is getting a name change with the new tvOS 26 update.
According to The Verifier, Apple has changed references for HomeKit in tvOS 26 to ‘Apple Home’ and in the Settings app it now reads ‘AirPlay and Apple Home’ instead of ‘AirPlay and HomeKit.’
While that may not sound like a big deal, the next time you go and buy accessories that are compatible with the Apple ecosystem, you’ll be looking for the ‘Apple Home’ badge on it instead of ‘HomeKit.’
Interestingly, many smart home accessories already have the ‘Works with Apple Home’ badge on it.
The timing of this news is interesting too. With new Apple TV and HomePod hardware rumored for release soon, it makes sense Apple would want to go for a unified branding that works for all devices and accessories.
Apple’s new Apple TV and smart display will definitely be core Apple Home devices; meanwhile, accessories like smart cameras and bulbs will likely have the badge ‘works with Apple Home.’
With tvOS 26 almost here, and the final release set for next month, we will know what Apple is planning in official capacity. It will be a bummer if Apple changes the name and doesn’t talk about it at all.
