That’s what it seems to be according to this article. It’s a good read that explains everything.
Apple is currently testing a beta version of iOS that promises to improve the speed and performance of HomeKit accessories. We put our home on the line to test it out and see what a difference it makes.
appleinsider.com
Doesn't the article say the opposite?
From the article-
“Initially, you'll need to update your primary device — your
iPhone or iPad — to iOS 16.2 or iPadOS 16.2. With this update installed, the Home app will inform you of the architecture change and what you need to do to utilize it.
The minimum requirement is all HomePods are running software version 16.2. Initially, Apple said all Home Hubs needed to be updated, but in our home, only the HomePods required the update.
That's all many homes need, but there are fringe scenarios to be aware of. As an example, just because your HomePods and primary device are updated,
all of your Apple devices will need updating to continue controlling your smart home.
That includes your Apple Watches, Macs, and Apple TVs. Even though you can migrate to the new architecture, you won't have the full experience until everything is on the requisite firmware.”
It seems to say the new architecture is updated as soon as you update your main iPhone or iPad (side note- I don’t know how it knows which is your main if you have multiple) AND all your HomePods to 16.2. According to the article, any Apple device you have on older software will no longer have access to your home. That’s how I read it, anyway.
To add to my confusion, the Apple website seems to say it’s the other way around. But it’s still pretty vague.
From the article-
“The new Home architecture is a separate update in the Home app. It requires all Apple devices that access the home to be using the latest software.”
iPadOS 17 makes iPad more personal and capable, with a redesigned Lock Screen, interactive widgets, enhanced PDFs, and seamless sharing in Messages.
www.apple.com
So that KIND OF sounds like that means the architecture won’t even install/run/work if all your Apple devices that access the home (Macs, iPads, iPhones, Watches, ATVs, HomePods) are not updated. But then again maybe it means that all non-updated devices won’t be able to control the home. It’s just very unclear.
I’m wondering about this because I want to update my HomePod Mini to 16.3 from 15.1.1 to get the temperature/humidity function, but I want to hold off updating as many of my other devices as possible. (I generally like to keep my devices one major version behind because I find they work more reliably that way.) But I know I would need to update at least my iPhone or iPad to 16 too. But I suppose my biggest problem is my iPhone isn’t compatible with 16, and I definitely want to use it to control/access my home. So one way or another, I’m going to run into problems. But I would like to get a clear answer on which problem I’m going to run into before I make my move.
Can anyone with knowledge chime in? Appreciated!
