Home Assistant iOS App Gains Energy and Health Features
The latest update to the Home Assistant iOS app expands its utility by integrating gas and battery data into energy widgets and allowing users to share Apple Health sleep information with their smart home setup.
Home Assistant has released version 2026.9.1 for its iOS application, introducing a set of new capabilities and fixes for users of the open-source smart home platform. The update focuses on broadening the range of data types that can be monitored and controlled, moving beyond standard electricity metrics to include gas and battery storage levels in the new energy widget.
According to reporting from GN technics/smarthome (en-US), this release also integrates with Apple’s ecosystem more deeply by enabling the sharing of sleep data from Apple Health. This feature, available through the Labs testing area, allows users to link personal wellness metrics with their home automation routines, while a new Manage Storage option in settings helps users control the app’s footprint on their devices.
Expanded Energy Monitoring Options
For households that rely on mixed energy sources, the update offers a more comprehensive view of consumption. The energy widget now displays gas and battery metrics alongside traditional electricity data. This change is significant for users managing complex home setups, as it consolidates multiple utility streams into a single interface without requiring third-party apps.
The trade-off for this increased functionality is that the app continues to rely on the Labs section for some experimental features. While the energy widget update is part of the stable release, other integrations like the Apple Health data sharing remain in the testing phase. Users should be aware that features in Labs may change or be removed in future updates, requiring a level of technical comfort that casual users might find challenging.
Improved Sync and Stability
Beyond new features, the update addresses longstanding complaints about synchronization and reliability. The layout of Live Activities in the Dynamic Island has been expanded, providing more detailed information at a glance. Additionally, entity icon colors and tile icon actions now sync correctly with the frontend, ensuring that the app’s visual representation matches the actual state of the devices.
The developers have also targeted specific stability issues that could disrupt daily use. Fixes include resolving crashes, correcting the failure of Apple Watch entity states to update, and ensuring that lock screen widgets execute scripts as intended. These corrections aim to make the app feel more responsive and trustworthy, particularly for users who depend on it for critical home functions like lighting or security.
Accessibility and Storage Management
A new Manage Storage option has been added to the Settings menu, giving users more control over how the app handles data locally. This is useful for those with limited storage on their iOS devices, as it allows for the cleanup of cached data or logs that may have accumulated over time. While this feature is straightforward, it highlights a broader trend in smart home apps to provide users with more granular control over their device’s resources.
The update is available for download via the Apple App Store. For users of the Home Assistant platform, this release represents a step toward a more integrated and stable mobile experience. However, the reliance on the Labs section for some key features suggests that the platform is still evolving, and users should expect some degree of flux in the feature set as development continues.
