is a senior reviewer focused on smart home and connected tech, with over twenty years of experience. She has written previously for Wirecutter, Wired, Dwell, BBC, and US News.
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Apple’s new M5-powered iPad Pro is the first iPad to officially support the Thread smart home protocol. It comes with Apple’s new N1 wireless networking chip, which adds Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread — the three wireless protocols the Matter smart home standard runs on.
While other iPads and Macs reportedly have Thread radios, this is the first model launching with the protocol publicly listed in the specs, and it could lay the groundwork for the iPad to be a Home hub — again.
So, what does this mean? Well, not much right away. Just as the answer to why Apple added Thread to iPhones starting with the iPhone 15 Pro wasn’t immediately clear, the company also hasn’t said why it’s on the new iPad.
The most likely scenario is that, as eventually emerged with Thread-enabled iPhones, you’ll be able to use the iPad Pro to set up a Thread smart home device in your home, even if you don’t have a Thread border router.
This makes adding a Thread device — like a smart light, lock, or plug — easier as you won’t need to go buy an extra product just to use the one you bought. (Although some functionality may be limited until you get a border router.)
Apple could be considering bringing the iPad back into the Home hub fold
The iPad wouldn’t work as a Thread border router, as they need to be mains-powered devices, but having a Thread radio in a mobile device does allow for direct control of Thread gadgets, improving reliability and speed. And, if you already have a Thread border router but the power goes out, your iPad can step in to talk to battery-powered Thread devices such as smart locks.
Apple has been using Thread in Apple Home for several years now, since the launch of the HomePod Mini in 2020. The protocol offers several benefits in the smart home, including reduced latency, lower power use, and more reliable local control. While there aren’t many Thread devices available yet, the number is growing.
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