Apple has marked iOS 16.2's Home architecture update as a major issue by adding it to an internal list of issues typically only reserved for widespread and noteworthy problems, indicating the update caused widespread and systemic issues to users' HomeKit devices and setup.
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 16.2, which included an option for users to update their Home app to a new, more "stable" architecture. Apple previewed the new architecture in June, and it was offered as a user-initiated option for users as an update to the Home app following iOS 16.2's release.
Despite Apple claiming the update would improve the Home app experience, a significant amount of users reported their HomeKit devices, scenes, and setups were broken after the update. The widespread issues caused by the update forced Apple to ultimately pull the upgrade, saying it would return in the future.
Now, MacRumors has learned Apple has added the Home app update to a database of both hardware and software issues internally, a rare move for a software-related problem. The list, used by Apple, Apple Stores, and authorized service providers, typically only includes widespread issues faced by customers, including mostly hardware problems.
Apple claims the update improves the Home app to offer "faster, more reliable performance," alongside slight adjustments to the Home app design. It's unclear when Apple will fix the issues with the update and make it available to users again. Until the update is fixed, the company has provided instructions that users who are experiencing issues after the update should follow.
Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued.
The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models.
In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring.
There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category.
M4...
Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by Juli Clover
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch.
All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19.
"Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag.
The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle.
Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
Apple today announced its first custom cellular modem with the name "C1," debuting in the all-new iPhone 16e.
The new modem contributes to the iPhone 16e's power efficiency, giving it the longest battery life of any iPhone with a 6.1-inch display, such as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16.
Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most...
Tuesday February 18, 2025 8:46 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple is permanently closing its retail store at the Northbrook Court shopping mall in the Chicago area. The company confirmed the upcoming closure today in a statement, but it has yet to provide a closing date for the location.
Apple Northbrook opened in 2005, and the store moved to a larger space in the mall in 2017.
Apple confirmed that affected employees will continue to work for the...
Something is broken re: Apple software development. I do not know how they architect/manage their different systems, but it appears to be broken (e.g. my experience of ever more bugs affecting MacOS releases). Not sure Apple mgmt cares since little seems to change.
I guess im one of the lucky ones who hasn't had any issues with the homekit upgrade and I have several devices in my home app. Fingers crossed things stay working!
Before Update: "Hey Siri, turn on the Den." Den lights turn on, AppleTV turns on itself and TV.
After Update: "Hey Siri, turn on the Den." Randomly starts playing Billboard Top 20 rap songs I didn't know existed nor desire to listen to on my HomePod mini stereo pair. Lights remain off. I have to make a scene that turns on these lights because asking to turn them on individually is kinda backwards, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY'RE GROUPED TOGETHER in the room called DEN.
What's funny is I haven't listened to anything popular in over 10 years, and rap is not even a genre I consider music and thus never listen to it. So, I am wondering why I lost light control but gained "Hey, maybe they wanna listen to something they never listen to? Let's shove Billboard at them!"
Which doesn't make any sense. What appears to be happening here is lazy development with no real focus. Design by committee!
"People wanna have music just shoved at them when they turn on lights! Here, watch Tom Hanks make another movie about an emotionally stunted man! Here's some more content!"
Also, what's up with not having the ability to granularly add Home devices into Control Center? Isn't that its name? I get myQ being lazy and breaking up with HomeKit, but I would like to add just my Den to Control Center, not a random collection of whatever it thinks I need. Is it my phone or the AI Siri Suggestion's phone because I'm starting to wonder if Apple is eventually just gonna rent me the phone like I rent an apartment.
It’s been just awful since the update. HomePods don’t work, or are in and out, timers don’t work, AirPlay sometimes works, sometimes doesn’t. Siri more useless than ever. I’m just ignoring them until this is fixed.
