What to expect at Apple’s ‘Welcome Home’ event next week

Apple is hosting its second fall event on October 13, and the “Welcome Home” tagline on its invitation strongly suggests it will focus on smart home products. Depending on your perspective, you could trace the company’s entry into the space to the introduction of the Apple TV, HomeKit, or the first HomePod, but this new push would be built around improved Siri AI functionality and several new pieces of hardware that will run it.

The star of this new hardware lineup would be the company’s first smart display, but it’s also expected to introduce updates to the Apple TV and HomePod mini, and perhaps much more. Here’s a full look at the new products Apple could announce at its smart home event.

All recent reports indicate that Apple is ready to launch its first smart display, a device that combines the audio and AI assistant capabilities of a HomePod with a screen capable of displaying photos, running apps, and acting as a dedicated FaceTime device.

Bloomberg reports that Apple’s so-called “HomePad” will feature a 6-inch square screen that will be available attached to a round HomePod mini-style speaker or a smaller audio setup that can be mounted next to the screen on a wall. The primary method of interacting with the HomePad is Siri AI, but the device’s new tvOS-based “homeOS” will also support touchscreen interactions and include some of the customizable interface elements of the Apple Watch and the iPhone’s Sleep Mode. The smart display will also be able to run iPadOS-style apps, according to Bloombergwhich opens up the possibility of video streaming and other features if developers decide to support it.

In addition to serving as a showcase for Siri AI’s ability to interact with Apple’s HomeKit platform, Apple also reportedly plans for the device to be able to detect who is looking at it and adjust its interface and apps accordingly, although it apparently won’t rely on the iPhone’s Apple Face ID technology to achieve this. This feature could allow the HomePad to change the calendar or notifications it displays based on who is looking at the screen – personalization features offered by few other Apple devices.

Apple limits access to Siri AI based on a device’s A-series or M-series chip, so it makes sense that the aging chips in the current HomePod mini (an S5 chip from the Apple Watch Series 5) and Apple TV 4K (an A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13) need to be replaced with something new. Bloomberg reports that the Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini will be updated with faster chips capable of running Siri AI, as well as modest design updates.

The new Apple TV 4K would be powered by at least one A19 chip from the iPhone 17 lineup and feature a slightly redesigned remote. The HomePod mini will be available in new colors, including green, pink, blue, black and white, according to Woozadand will likely feature a chip from a recent Apple Watch so it can handle Siri AI prompts. Apple is also reportedly working on supporting surround sound setups with HomePods, an expansion of the HomePod stereo setups it currently offers through the Apple TV.

Previous reports suggested Apple was working on its own privacy-focused cameras as part of its smart home lineup, but now Bloomberg reports that they might not be sold under the Apple name. The company is reportedly collaborating with LG Electronics to create a series of smart locks, doorbells, thermostats and temperature sensors. The devices will work with Apple’s smart home ecosystem but will apparently be manufactured, sold and supported by LG. A subsequent leak suggested that similar third-party devices would also come from Schneider Electric, which is apparently making a thermostat for the launch.

The “second party” partnership includes Schneider accessories:
• Schneider smart thermostat for the home
• Schneider Electric temperature/humidity sensor

Only the thermostat displays configuration resources (placeholder). Its installation configuration mentions proximity settings.

In total, iOS…

– pdfu (@itspdfu) October 7, 2026

This doesn’t necessarily stop Apple from releasing its own versions of these devices, but it does suggest that Apple won’t make the first accessories designed for this new era of HomeKit. Given the threat the company’s scale and reach poses to other smart home product makers, it’s probably the right move to play nice.