Apple is working on a new smart home accessory that will serve as a hub for interacting with Siri AI, controlling HomeKit devices, watching videos, checking the calendar and the weather, and generally offering up useful information to everyone in the household.
This guide aggregates everything that we know about Apple’s smart home hub.
Design
Apple’s smart home device will somewhat resemble an iPad, and it will have a display-focused design. It is expected to be square rather than rectangular, and it will measure in at 6 inches with quarter-inch black bezels around the edges.
In terms of size, it will look similar to two iPhones that are side-by-side, and it will be about as thick as an iPhone. Apple imagines people having multiples of the hub in different rooms of the house. The device will support touch input for opening apps and controlling connected devices.
Apple is making two versions of the home hub. One will have a 6-inch display and is meant to be mounted on the wall, and the second version has the same 6-inch display and a hemispherical speaker base that looks similar to the iMac G4. The display attaches to the base with a polished metal arm that holds the small screen and allows it to be tilted forward or backward. The base features speaker hole perforations and a rubber bottom for stability.
The original iMac G4The wall-mounted version will have a thin square base for the speakers and the mics, and it will sit flush against the wall. Both models will have a 1080p camera on the front for FaceTime calls, authenticating users, and recognizing different people in the home. Apple is planning to release the hub in a gray aluminum finish.
The device has no internal battery and is instead meant to be used while connected to power via USB-C.
Sensors
The smart home hub will be able to determine how close a person is standing to it, adjusting features from there. When no one is nearby, for example, it might show the temperature, but as someone approaches, it could shift to an interface for adjusting the thermostat.
Person detection will likely allow it to be used in smart home automations for doing things like turning on the lights when someone enters a room. The sensor will be able to tell one person from another, and it could recognize hand gestures for longer-range control.
Facial recognition
The home hub will use a Face ID-like feature along with voice for authentication and to identify who is in a room. With the recognition features, the home hub will be able to switch to the profile for the person in the home who is interacting with the device. Each user will have a customizable profile and interface with options to change profiles through the Control Center.
The camera won’t be as accurate as Face ID, so voice is an alternative. Apple’s HomePod also uses voice recognition for some personalized features. Users will be able to set up secondary authentication with an iPhone for more security, and a visitor mode will hide personal information.
Rumors suggest there is a Mac-style edge light around the screen to offer lighting so the device can identify people in the dark.
Chip
Apple’s smart home accessory is expected to use an A18 chip or better for Apple Intelligence support. Given that Apple Intelligence requires 8GB RAM minimum, it will have at least 8GB RAM.
Operating System
Apple’s home hub will run an operating system that Apple refers to as “Charismatic” internally, though it could be called homeOS when it launches. It’s going to use elements from tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, and it will sync with the iPhone for setup purposes.
Interface
Apple does not plan to create a dedicated App Store for the home hub, but it will come with several apps pre-installed. The main view will be a customizable home screen with widgets that can show the weather, important home controls, photo slideshows, upcoming events, and more. A built-in camera will scan the face of each user, bringing up different apps and a Home Screen for each person.
The interface is something like a cross between watchOS and the iPhone’s StandBy mode, with a heavy focus on clock faces and photo slideshows when the device is idle. The Home Screen will feature Apple Watch-like icons, but the apps will have an iPad-like design with a two-panel layout. There will be familiar customization options like pressing and holding to rearrange icons and swiping up to get to the app launcher.
There will be a Widget Gallery that suggests widgets from a linked iPhone. Widgets shown on the device from an iPhone that’s connected will only display widget content when the primary user is in the home. A Smart Stack will be available to intelligently rotate through different widget options throughout the day, and the clock will be customizable with a Face Gallery.
The hub will adopt the visual aesthetic of Siri AI, with darker design elements. A software-based dock will be available for launching apps, and the hub will be built around Siri AI.
Apps
Several Apple apps will be installed even though there won’t be a dedicated App Store. Apps that are rumored:
The hub will support integration into HomeKit scenes alongside other smart home products, and it will play videos, so it can be used for things like following along with a recipe when in the kitchen.
Intercom
More than one of the devices can be used throughout the home, and two or more can serve as room-to-room intercoms.
AirPlay
With its built-in speakers, the device will support music playback and it will be able to work as an AirPlay receiver.
homeOS Trademark
Apple appears to be using a shell company to trademark “homeOS” in several countries around the world, with the trademarking kicking off in October 2024. Apple has secured the homeOS trademark in Liechtenstein, and trademarks are pending in the U.S., Argentina, Peru, and more.
Future Smart Home Accessories
Apple is creating an indoor security camera that will connect to the home hub, and it’s rumored for 2027. Privacy would be a focus, providing an alternative to cameras from companies like Ring and Nest.
Pricing
Apple’s home hub could be priced somewhere around $350, which would make it more expensive than competing products like the Amazon Echo Show.
Launch Date
Apple’s smart home hub is rumored to be debuting on October 13 alongside a new Apple TV 4K and a new HomePod mini.
