Apple's smart home hub reportedly set for Oct. 13 launch

The device, rumored for a couple of years, will take the form of a 6-inch square display and be sold in both countertop and wall-mounted versions, Gurman reported, citing sources who asked not to be identified. It may resemble the 2002 iMac, the model with a pivoting screen mounted on a half-sphere base. Gurman had predicted that a home hub with a display, camera and microphone was nearly ready, and such a device recently appeared in macOS Tahoe 27.6 under the code name J490. He also reported that Apple is developing an updated version with a larger 9-inch display and a robotic arm.

The hub will run an operating system that blends features from several other Apple platforms and will serve as a showcase for the new Siri AI assistant. It will use face and voice recognition to display personalized content depending on who is speaking to it or approaching, adapting its interface to that person and changing automatically when another recognized person comes near. A visitor mode will hide personal information. According to the report, facial recognition will be less accurate than Face ID on an iPhone, and users can set up secondary authentication if they do not want to rely on the device's identification systems. A white ring light is included to better illuminate the user.

The device can be used to control thermostats, door locks and other connected products. Owners will also be able to make video calls, use intercom communications across multiple devices, run iCloud photo slide shows and stream music. Apple additionally positions it as an information hub for kitchens, where users could look up recipes, watch videos or make FaceTime calls while cooking.

Apple had been expected to launch the home hub in 2024, but the release was reportedly delayed by widely publicized problems with Apple Intelligence. With the new Siri AI launching this month, the smart display may finally reach customers as well.