HomeKit-enabled routers may not be the first accessories that come to mind when you think of smart home gadgets. Nevertheless, routers are still alive and well as an accessory category in the world of HomeKit. That's despite a thread on Reddit this week suggesting that HomeKit was no longer open for business when it came to routers. The thread states that it has been unofficially confirmed “that manufacturers can no longer submit new products for HKSR,” referring to HomeKit Secure Routers. However, Homekit.Blog has verified that router makers can continue to make new routers secured by HomeKit. The MFi licensing program allows companies that develop and distribute routers to integrate Apple's HomeKit technology into their products. Apple's case for HomeKit-equipped routers is that they "add more protection to your HomeKit accessories by controlling which services and devices they communicate with on your home Wi-Fi network and over the Internet," according to the company's documentation. While it's true that there are other methods to limit the interaction of smart home accessories with the internet, HomeKit-secured routers are simpler. They provide customers in the Apple ecosystem with a turnkey experience that requires no networking expertise, while offering benefits that more technical users can configure. One theory that emerged after the misinformation was published is that Matter could replace the need for HomeKit-secured routers. However, Matter, which Apple supports, is still finding its way into smart homes, so HomeKit-equipped routers will continue to play a role in Apple's privacy-focused smart home strategy. Whether or not companies continue to invest in HomeKit compatibility when manufacturing future routers is up for grabs, but Apple is leaving the door wide open for new routers secured by HomeKit. FTC: We use monetized auto-affiliate links.