HomeKit in iOS 18 Includes Guest Access, Hands-Free Unlock, Electricity Usage Integration and More

HomeKit and the Home app weren't focused on much during Apple's WWDC keynote, but there are several new features that are coming in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia.

home app ios 18 features
With Customize Access, you can manage how and when people can access your ‌HomeKit‌ devices like garage openers, alarm systems, and door locks. You can create guest schedules and specific accessories that your guests can use, limiting times that your home is accessible. A home hub is required for this feature.

You can enable Express Mode for unlocking door locks automatically as you approach with an iPhone or an Apple Watch, so you don't need to tap your device to the lock to get it to open. You'll need an ‌iPhone‌ or Apple Watch with an Ultra Wideband chip for this to work, along with an Ultra Wideband lock.

Later this year, Apple plans to add support for robot vacuum cleaners. The Home app will support the core functionality of robot vacuums, like power control, cleaning mode, vacuum, mop, and charge status. The vacuums can also be used in automations and scenes, and respond to Siri requests.

Apple is adding electricity usage integration into the Home app, but it's only available to select Pacific Gas and Electric Company customers in the United States to begin. With this feature, users can see their home electricity usage from the Home app, along with rate plan.

Electricity usage integration is coming later in 2024, and Apple also plans to add other providers in the future.

Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
Magic Mouse Next to Keyboard

No, Apple CEO Tim Cook Didn't Say He Prefers Logitech's MX Master 3 Over the Magic Mouse

Sunday November 17, 2024 3:03 pm PST by
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false. The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Surpass iPhone 6 as Thinnest iPhone Ever

Monday November 18, 2024 1:07 pm PST by
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick. "We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote. If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

18 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Wednesday November 13, 2024 2:09 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 next month, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls incoming as well....

Top Rated Comments

xizdun Avatar
23 weeks ago
When will HomeKit add the option for when I say "My bedroom", it can differentiate between the different bedrooms in the house?

Parents: "My bedroom" = Master bedroom
Child 1: "My bedroom" = Child 1's bedroom
Child 2: "My bedroom" = Child 2's bedroom
etc.

Example: "Turn [my] bedroom lights off." and it knows exactly which bedroom I'm referencing.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Diopter Avatar
23 weeks ago
What I really want is for them to have fixed the incredibly buggy camera UI.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Arran Avatar
23 weeks ago
My stairs are right inside my front door. So are we saying that every time I run upstairs or downstairs my front door is going to unlock?

Or if I’m out mowing the front lawn the door will unlock when I approach? Too much automation.

Personally, I love express mode triggered by just waving my Apple Watch near my front door lock. I can do it with full hands. Super easy but still intentional.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NightFox Avatar
23 weeks ago

I thought that’s why they gave the option of creating rooms with any name you want. Name a room Timmy or Sally, whatever, add devices. “Hey Siri, turn the lights on in Timmy‘s room.”, they turn on.

If not, https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/how-to-set-up-homepod-multi-user-voice-recognition/, may work if you have HomePods. First option seems easier to me though.
I think the OP is asking about context-aware requests, so it know's that if Sally says 'my room', it mean's Sally's room, whereas if Timmy says 'my room' it means his room. It makes for more natural commands.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kaptajn Haddock Avatar
23 weeks ago
Perhaps they should fix Homekit bugs first, like it never registers when everybody has left the house, so no automations are triggered.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
McScooby Avatar
23 weeks ago
Nevermind locks, get the UWB & AI activated on the HomePods and make it contextually aware. Can't count the number of times I'll be in the living room watching something & I'll say something like, Hey Siri play.... meaning for the Apple TV I'm watching, the phones pick it up & start playing music through the phone, or Siri turn something off & it doesn't know the only thing that's on.

I'm hoping there's more updates to Home than this.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)