Apple Readies New Smart Home Hub, Apple TV, and HomePod mini [Report]

Apple is preparing to significantly expand its smart home ecosystem with the launch of three new devices built around Siri AI. The upcoming hardware lineup includes a brand-new smart home hub, a refreshed Apple TV 4K, and an updated HomePod mini. According to Bloomberg, the set-top box and smart speaker will arrive this fall, while the display-equipped hub is targeted for release between October and early next year.



The centerpiece of this hardware push is a new smart home hub featuring a 7-inch square display. The device runs an entirely new operating system based on tvOS that borrows design elements from iOS and watchOS, utilizing a familiar grid of app icons and widgets. Built to serve as a central command station, the hub supports FaceTime, intercom communication, home security monitoring, controls for smart home devices such as speakers and locks, photo viewing, music playback, and customizable Apple Watch-style clock faces. Apple is also developing a companion iPhone interface to help users set up and manage the hub.


Facial recognition serves as the hallmark feature of the new hub. The device can automatically identify who is looking at the screen, gauge their physical distance, and scale the interface accordingly for easier viewing. It then personalizes the on-screen experience by displaying that user's calendar, notes, and other personalized content.

Apple is developing two versions of the smart display. One model, internally dubbed J490, rests on a half-dome-shaped base resembling a HomePod mini cut in half. A second variant, codenamed J491, is designed to be mounted to a wall using a magnetic system. Apple reportedly envisions users placing multiple hubs throughout the home. The launch of all three products has faced repeated delays, a setback we previously noted as recently as March, because the hardware was designed around Siri AI and couldn't launch until the software was ready. While considered unlikely, Bloomberg says another postponement remains possible.



The accompanying Apple TV and HomePod mini updates will look visually identical to the current hardware. The primary changes are internal, bringing faster processors needed to support Siri AI. The current-generation Apple TV 4K relies on the A15 Bionic chip, while the HomePod mini uses the S5 processor originally introduced with the Apple Watch Series 5. Previous reports suggested that both updated devices were essentially finished but waiting for Siri AI to catch up. Apple recently raised prices on the current models, pushing the Apple TV to $199 and the HomePod mini to $129.

Looking beyond this initial wave, Apple is also developing a higher-end robotic version of the home hub equipped with a 9-inch display on a motorized limb that can move the screen to better follow people during FaceTime calls. An advanced in-home security camera, along with a related system designed to compete with Amazon's Ring, is also in the pipeline, projects we first highlighted earlier this year.


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