iOS 18.4 Mandates Upgrade to New HomeKit Architecture: What You Need to Know

Apple is set to discontinue support for the older version of its HomeKit architecture with the release of iOS 18.4, which will force users to upgrade to the newer HomeKit architecture introduced in iOS 16.2. The optional update, initially rolled out in November 2022 and reintroduced in February 2023 after causing issues, brought significant speed and performance improvements for HomeKit accessories. However, strings within the third developer beta of iOS 18.4 indicate that Apple will make this upgrade mandatory, with warnings to 'update now to avoid interruptions' as support for the older architecture 'will end soon.' The change is expected to be part of the public release of iOS 18.4 in April, along with other updates like an Apple Vision Pro app and new emoji characters.