All of the new Apple HomeKit features in iOS 12

Continuing our coverage of Apple's latest updates, we've tackled the myriad of changes coming to HomeKit within iOS 12.

Many of these changes are minor, with some items being shifted in the Home app (such as HomePod personal requests preferences), updated titling to be more accurate, and icons changed to better represent what they stand for.

Other changes are more profound. For users, the most salient additional is a new device type: remotes. How HomeKit remotes will play out is still a bit up for debate, but there are a lot of exciting possibilities here.

Manufacturers will be particularly excited for a brand new MFi partner dev kit. This new dev kit handles a lot of the work for developers, which can drastically reduce the development time for accessories. Prototypes could be functional within a week, and the full release cycle could be as quick as three months rather than upwards of a year. This means new accessories will be hitting the market faster than ever, which has traditionally been a pain point for the HomeKit ecosystem.

Notification management has been improved with this year's iteration of HomeKit too. A new notification section within the Home app makes it easier to toggle notifications on/off for difference sensors, locks, and shades.

While not specifically in iOS, Mac users will rejoice at the newfound ability to control their Home from their computers in macOS Mojave. Siri will now accept HomeKit requests and pairs nicely with the newly ported Home app.

Here is our full list of changes thus far:

• Home icon changed in the Home app
• "Details" changed to "Settings" when viewing an accessory
• New notifications section of the home
• New Remote category
• Siri support on macOS Mojave
• Home app in macOS Mojave
• HomePod personal requests preferences moved
• New MFi partner dev kit
• Siri Shortcut support