Why There's a Secret Thread Radio in New Macs and iPads

Since last year, Apple has quietly included a Thread smart radio in iPads and Macs but has not disclosed it or switched it on.

Thread is like a mini-low-powered internet for your smart-home devices, and Apple is building it into all recent Macs and iPads. The iPhone already includes it in the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Thread replaces Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for communication between home automation devices and has several advantages, as we shall see. But why has Apple added it to computers?

"With Thread, Macs and iPads can serve as powerful central hubs, facilitating seamless, low-latency communication between smart devices. For instance, smart light switches can respond as instantaneously as physical switches because they communicate through a dedicated, low-power mesh network," Reade Taylor, a cybersecurity expert and the founder of Cyber Command, told Lifewire via email.

Homework

The most obvious reason for Apple to put Thread into Macs and iPads is that it has future plans for its Home app that have yet to be realized. Perhaps they will be announced as soon as next week when Apple shows the next versions of its various operating systems at its WWDC conference.

Thread is special because it was designed specifically for smart home purposes. This makes it a lot faster than Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, with much lower latency between devices, and it should also be more reliable. That's why flipping a light switch should have an instant effect. Thread is also the physical basis of the smart home standard called Matter, which means your Google stuff can seamlessly work with your Apple stuff.

A smart home setup requires a device to be in charge. These "border routers" can be anything, from a smart speaker to a computer. And the neat part is, if one border router goes offline, another one can take over. Apple's M-series computers—its recent Macs and higher-end iPads—never really switch off, even when sleeping with the lid closed, so as long as one of them is at home, it could act as a controller for the entire network. And because Thread is IP based, like the internet, it can route any messages along the fastest route, hopping across devices if needed.

Faster, Harder, Stronger

"Beyond smart home integration, Thread could significantly enhance Apple device performance. For instance, it can lower latency in streaming to AirPlay speakers, making transitions between devices almost instantaneous," Co-Founder and CEO of Diasy and home technology expert Hagan Kappler told Lifewire via email.

It's important to note here that the music itself does not stream over Thread. The protocol doesn't have enough bandwidth for things like home security video cameras either. But it could still let your phone and your HomePod connect faster, decreasing the delay for connections.

Thread is also more secure than the other wireless alternatives, which has obvious advantages and some that are less obvious.

"Security is another compelling reason for Thread's inclusion. With inherent encryption and authentication capabilities, Thread networks are more secure against attacks compared to traditional Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections. This fortified security aligns well with the increasing demands for data protection and reliability in both home and business environments," says Kappler.

Another specific use case where security is utterly essential is medical devices or any kind of device that shares biometric data, like heart rate monitors. It can also be used in hospitals to connect devices and monitor them securely in real-time.

"Security is also huge when dealing with private health data. From my experience, 'Robust encryption and authentication is critical to protect patient privacy and stay HIPAA compliant.' Thread's enhanced security protocols give that extra layer of defense," Adam Zagha, addiction treatment specialist and founder of Numa Recovery Centers, told Lifewire via email.

It doesn't look like Apple has any secret Thread agenda, then. It's just its usual day-to-day secrecy in action. Perhaps it'll get switched on in the future, or perhaps it is just a part of the latest M2, M3, and M4 systems-on-a-chip, and it's easier just to keep them in there and switched off for hardware that doesn't need them. Either way, we'll just have to wait and see.