HomeKit iOS16 Homeapp’s button redesign doesn’t make sense

[W£S]

First, I want to state that I am very happy with the redesigned app. It looks a lot better and is a lot more streamlined.

However, I cannot stand how the button works. I mean how often do you change the settings for each light or fan? Once it is properly set up, I hardly change the setting.

Now, just around 20% if the button is dedicated to turning on/off while 80% is dedicated to going into settings.

I ended up going into settings most of the time and having to waste time with additional clicks.

I seriously hope they change this. Views?

See extract from an article:

Changes to how buttons work​

One of the notable updates in the Home app is a big shift in how the buttons work to control HomeKit devices.

In iOS 15 and earlier, you would tap a device tile to turn it on or off and long-press to get the more detailed control UI with things like colors, sliders, etc. for fine-grain control.

Now in the iOS 16 Home app buttons behave like this:

• Tap on the far left (circle icon) to turn devices on and off
• Tap on the middle or right side of a button to see the detailed control UI
• Long-press to see edit/customizability options and device details

iOS 16 Home app: The new HomeKit experience - 9to5Mac

This detailed guide with screenshots shows how the redesigned iOS 16 Home app looks and works to deliver an improved HomeKit experience.

9to5mac.com

 

[Edelheid]

I'm probably part of the few who prefer the new button behavior, but at the same time I can also see why it ends up being annoying for others. It's not intuitive based on the amount of negative feedback this change has gotten so far. I'm not sure if others ended up like me who was puzzled at first, but after figuring out what to press to get what result, ended up liking it.

I very often make granular changes to my accessories rather than just turning them on or off such as changing the speed of my air purifiers to switch between auto and cool for my thermostat when my automations haven't already sorted them out or when Siri is being dismissive. It will just take a bit to adjust muscle memory after getting used to long-pressing tiles up until now.

Though I have to say that having to long-press all the time makes me wish 3D Touch still existed on my iPhone as that was a bit faster and more satisfying to use. The only thing that's faster than 3D Touch is having to press the tile to expose the same options a long-press used to achieve.

 

[W£S]

I'm probably part of the few who prefer the new button behavior, but at the same time I can also see why it ends up being annoying for others. It's not intuitive based on the amount of negative feedback this change has gotten so far. I'm not sure if others ended up like me who was puzzled at first, but after figuring out what to press to get what result, ended up liking it.

I very often make granular changes to my accessories rather than just turning them on or off such as changing the speed of my air purifiers to switch between auto and cool for my thermostat when my automations haven't already sorted them out or when Siri is being dismissive. It will just take a bit to adjust muscle memory after getting used to long-pressing tiles up until now.

Though I have to say that having to long-press all the time makes me wish 3D Touch still existed on my iPhone as that was a bit faster and more satisfying to use. The only thing that's faster than 3D Touch is having to press the tile to expose the same options a long-press used to achieve.

I hear you and I too have a few which I make changes to it. However, it is probably less than 20% of my devices.

I would prefer if they dedicate 80% (or maybe 50%) of the button to turning it on and off, and they rest for granular edits.

Even better if they can allow for us to customise the button
a) entire button for on off
b) entire button for granular set up
c) ios 16 current set up which allows both

The above can be selected in each device’s setting

 

[bbednarz]

I absolutely love the way this works myself. In a world where 3D Touch exists, it would make sense to just have a hard press take you to the brightness settings. but the long press is really annoying. This will be muscle memory for everyone in a week or 2.

 

[w5jck]

I absolutely love the way this works myself. In a world where 3D Touch exists, it would make sense to just have a hard press take you to the brightness settings. but the long press is really annoying. This will be muscle memory for everyone in a week or 2.

And then Apple will change it again and a new set of muscle memory will have to be learned. Apple can't leave anything alone, even if it works perfectly fine. At least they are not quite as bad as Amazon with the Alexa app...

 

[bbednarz]

The idea is to improve, not stay the same. Without 3D Touch this is an improvement in my eyes.

 

[w5jck]

The idea should be to get things working correctly then leave them alone. So called improvements by Apple are often buggy and so different that you have to spend time researching how to work it. Apple obviously has little understanding of usability design...

 

[compwiz1202]

First, I want to state that I am very happy with the redesigned app. It looks a lot better and is a lot more streamlined.

However, I cannot stand how the button works. I mean how often do you change the settings for each light or fan? Once it is properly set up, I hardly change the setting.

Now, just around 20% if the button is dedicated to turning on/off while 80% is dedicated to going into settings.

I ended up going into settings most of the time and having to waste time with additional clicks.

I seriously hope they change this. Views?

See extract from an article:

Changes to how buttons work​

One of the notable updates in the Home app is a big shift in how the buttons work to control HomeKit devices.

In iOS 15 and earlier, you would tap a device tile to turn it on or off and long-press to get the more detailed control UI with things like colors, sliders, etc. for fine-grain control.

Now in the iOS 16 Home app buttons behave like this:

• Tap on the far left (circle icon) to turn devices on and off
• Tap on the middle or right side of a button to see the detailed control UI
• Long-press to see edit/customizability options and device details

iOS 16 Home app: The new HomeKit experience - 9to5Mac

This detailed guide with screenshots shows how the redesigned iOS 16 Home app looks and works to deliver an improved HomeKit experience.

9to5mac.com

Thank You! I didn't know you could tap in a certain area for on/off. Is there a setting to make it work like it did? Not too hard to just hard press if i want settings.

 

[Vasilioskn]

iOS 16 has been a **** show for me - all my cameras show up zoomed , notifications are now 3-4 minutes late. I knew I should’ve stayed with ios 15

 

[skalata]

Can anyone explain why all my HomeKit buttons is iOS16 are all now LARGE and I can no longer place them side by side, instead my buttons are all in a long column. All the pictures I see online have the buttons side by side, but mine are all in a long, single column. See below. I want 2 columns like in the second picture but can find NO WAY to do it.

 

[srl7741]

Can anyone explain why all my HomeKit buttons is iOS16 are all now LARGE and I can no longer place them side by side, instead my buttons are all in a long column. All the pictures I see online have the buttons side by side, but mine are all in a long, single column. See below. I want 2 columns like in the second picture but can find NO WAY to do it.

Do you have "display and text size" enabled in Accessibility? That would cause the screen to look like yours does.

 

[tgwaste]

It sucks just as bad as it always has.

 

[tgwaste]

And then Apple will change it again and a new set of muscle memory will have to be learned. Apple can't leave anything alone, even if it works perfectly fine. At least they are not quite as bad as Amazon with the Alexa app...

Well.. Homekit does not work "perfectly fine". It's one of Apples worst products. Alarm changing hangs. Cameras go unresponsive and literally take a power cycle to get back. The layout is seriously bad. It's absolute garbage and what's worse, nothing has been fixed in ios 16. They just put new lipstick on a pig.

 

[Itinj24]

Well.. Homekit does not work "perfectly fine". It's one of Apples worst products. Alarm changing hangs. Cameras go unresponsive and literally take a power cycle to get back. The layout is seriously bad. It's absolute garbage and what's worse, nothing has been fixed in ios 16. They just put new lipstick on a pig.

Didn’t they announce a much improved HomeKit accessory responsiveness and reliability with iOS16 at the KeyNote? Probably the only thing I was looking forward to but so much for that. Same old $hitty HomeKit as it ever was.