Apple’s Smart Home Hub could arrive next month
Apple’s long-awaited Home Hub would arrive on October 13, according to BloombergMark Gurman, Apple’s reliable whisperer. The Echo Show-like device, which has been rumored for a few years, will be at the center of Apple’s expansion into smart home technology and will be a key launch for new Apple CEO John Ternus.
Gurman predicted that a home hub device with a screen, camera and microphone was almost ready, and such a device also recently appeared in macOS Tahoe 27.6 under the code name J490. The home hub is expected to come in the form of a 6-inch square screen, with countertop and wall-mounted versions, according to Gurman’s sources, who asked not to be identified. It may look like the 2002 iMac, the one with a pivoting screen sitting on a half-sphere base.
Another product in development, according to Gurman, is an updated version of the home hub with a larger nine-inch screen and a robotic arm. As we noted previously, the Home Hub will run an operating system that combines features from several other Apple operating systems and will be a showcase for the new Siri AI assistant. It will use facial and voice recognition to display personalized content based on who speaks to it or approaches it. The interface will then be adapted to the speaker, and will change automatically when another recognized person approaches. It will also feature a visitor mode that hides personal information.
Facial recognition won’t be as accurate as FaceID on an iPhone, and users can configure it for secondary authentication if they don’t want to rely on the device’s identification systems. It will come with a white light ring to better illuminate the user.
The new device can be used to control thermostats, door locks and other connected devices, according to the report. Owners will also be able to make video calls, intercom communications with multiple devices, iCloud photo slideshows, and of course, music streaming. Apple also envisions it as a kitchen information hub that would allow users to search for recipes, watch videos, or make FaceTime calls while cooking.
Apple’s Home Hub was supposed to launch in 2024, but was reportedly delayed by high-profile issues with Apple Intelligence. With the new Siri AI finally launching this month, it looks like Apple’s smart screen home device could finally be here too.
