iOS 18.4 Settings “Apple Home Update Recommended” Removal?

It’s practically an ad.

Apple Home works with an iPad as the Hub.

With this “upgrade”, one NEEDS a HomePod to work.

Apple is just pushing existing customers to buy a HomePod to enable the same functionality of Apple Home as of now.

This persistent nagging in the Apple Home app ruins the Apple experience in the Apple Home app, and it has now crept on top of the Settings screen, without the warning that existing systems will stop working and customers will effectively be at ransom to buy the HomePod.

This tactic is similar to the ads about Apple One earlier in the settings app.

A not interested button and never remind this “recommendation” option should have been added, but this is a deliberate strategic decision by Apple not to have them here.

Please fix, annoying, but not annoying enough to buy a homepod.

I concur with the others; Apple is continuing a pattern of design obsolescence, forcing users to buy new devices--even ones that are unneeded and ones on the poorly supported, designed, and executed spectrum--namely homepod and hompodmini. The only way to get rid of the notification on the system app icon is to suppress all notifications for that app, which means no notification when there are other updates or other system configuration changes that genuinely need a user's attention.

It’s so annoying! Having broken it before, it’s useful to know you can roll back the HomeKit update here:

Downgrading HomeKit back to old architect… - Apple Community

DOWNLOAD app if it is not already there. In my case it was not. UPDATE the app; this removes the alert. Then DELETE the app.

Installing and attempting to update didn't work for me. I had previously uninstalled Home because I have no devices to use with it. I reinstalled the app, then selected Update Home from Settings. It switched to the app and confirmed the update. I answered "Update Anyway" when it told me I needed a hub. Then I got an "Unable to Complete Home Update" window. The notification is still there in Settings.

Is it in the Home App Home settings? It won’t install unless you take action to do so. I ignored it for months before deciding to upgrade. There’s no way to get rid of the prompt. If you were to click on it by accident another prompt appears warning you about the older devices. So you can decline continuing. As far as I recall. Just be careful updating HomePods automatically. If you have more than one don’t choose update all. Update each one manually, one at a time. Turn off automatically update.

Its not clear on what you’re using for a Hub. Now it’s only HomePods or an Apple TV . On the version you’re currently on it can also be an iPad.

I think any one device upgrading to the new `app' also updates the iCloud settings so that the deprecated devices no longer work. This isn't a fix to keep those devices ability to control apps and other devices through the `old' home app. It will certainly remove the update icon on the settings, but will essentially remove the usefulness of older devices, including those that are no longer able to be the home hub.

9to5Mac found some code strings in the developer beta of this version of iOS. There will be a forced push towards the new Home infrastructure making iPads obsolete for being a Home Hub. I have permanently mounted and plugged in my iPad Pro 10.5 on the wall for Home Automation; now I’ll need to find a proper alternative to Home Automation soon.

According to 9to5Mac:

”One of the new strings added to the system warns users that support for the old version of Apple Home “will end soon” and that they need to “update now to avoid interruptions” with accessories and automations.”