HomeKit and Matter: the iPad can no longer be a control center since iOS 16

In the first beta for developers of iOS 16 it was already indicated that Apple would introduce changes in Home that would affect the iPad as a home control center. Now the company confirms that iPad running iPadOS 16 can no longer be used as a HomeKit control center.

No more manual activation in the second beta

While the iPad could be explicitly re-enabled as Control Center in the settings of the first iPadOS 16 beta, this feature is no longer available in the second developer beta. If the Home app is launched with iOS 16, users are now informed that the iPad can no longer act as a control center. Until now, an iPad used permanently at home, a HomePod, HomePod mini, or an Apple TV (4th generation or newer) can be used as a control center, with Apple automatically selecting a device if there are multiple on the network. The rest then remain on standby as replacements. A control center is necessary to be able to use automations and remotely control connected devices in the home.

A home hub is required to take advantage of features such as receiving accessory notifications and allowing others to control your home. You won’t be able to see shared homes until those homes are also updated to the latest version of HomeKit. The iPad will no longer be supported as a home hub.

Apple notice in iOS 16

Apple has revised the architecture of Home

Apple doesn’t give reasons for the end of iPad as a control center, but on the iPadOS 16 website, Apple says it has updated the underlying architecture of Home to deliver faster, more reliable performance that makes smart home devices more efficient. controllable from multiple devices, especially in homes with many smart home devices. These changes, along with the upcoming Materia support, could be a reason behind the change. Because when supporting the future Matter smart home standard for unrestricted interoperability and compatibility across manufacturer boundaries, Apple explicitly mentions the need for an Apple TV or HomePod as the control center (Notes 11 and 12 on the iPadOS 16 website).