The mighty iPad Pro M2 was released in fall 2022 and was a welcome addition to the growing iPad lineup, Much like its predecessor, offers 11-inch and 12.9-inch variants. It also pretty much retains all characteristics found in the M1 model. With this release, the company has only bumped the chipset and introduced a new Apple Pencil hover feature.
Many people keep their iPads at home. After all, this delicate glass slab can easily break if it's mishandled outdoors. This only begs the question: If I'm always keeping my iPad Pro M2 at home, can I go ahead and depend on it as a HomeKit Hub? Here's what you need to know about this matter.
With iPadOS 16, Apple introduced a new HomeKit architecture. This upgrade is supposed to make automations and commands faster and more reliable. However, one downside to this architecture upgrade affects the iPad. If you're running an upgraded home, you can no longer depend on an iPad as a HomeKit Hub. If you're still on the old version, then you can head to Settings > Home > Use this iPad as a Home Hub.
If you don't see the aforementioned toggle in your iPad's settings, you likely have already upgraded to the new HomeKit architecture. As a result, you will only get to depend on Apple TVs and HomePods as HomeKit Hubs. It's unclear why Apple would discontinue Home Hub support on the iPad following the upgrade. One potential explanation could be faster battery drain due to the notable speed improvements. It's yet to be seen whether Apple will eventually sell an iPad dock that restores the Home Hub functionality on iPadOS down the road.
Regardless, if you're looking for the most powerful iPad available, and a potential laptop replacement, the new iPad Pro M2 is still a great option. It's expensive, but you can find some great deals on it if you know where to look.
