The comparison table is the useful part, because “optional and replaceable” is something you can actually check. Remote access works without the subscription through your own reverse proxy, a VPN like WireGuard/Tailscale, or a tunnel, and the Alexa/Google voice integrations can be set up manually, just with more steps. So the no-lock-in claim holds for the service itself.
The rename seems mostly aimed at the confusion they mention, where new users thought “Home Assistant Cloud” meant running Home Assistant in the cloud. Fair enough given how many people ask exactly that.
The comparison table is the useful part, because “optional and replaceable” is something you can actually check. Remote access works without the subscription through your own reverse proxy, a VPN like WireGuard/Tailscale, or a tunnel, and the Alexa/Google voice integrations can be set up manually, just with more steps. So the no-lock-in claim holds for the service itself.
The rename seems mostly aimed at the confusion they mention, where new users thought “Home Assistant Cloud” meant running Home Assistant in the cloud. Fair enough given how many people ask exactly that.