Apple's first smart home display could arrive in October
The company's HomePod-iPad combo may arrive by the end of the year
🍎 Apple is gearing up to launch its first smart home display very soon
🧑🔬 A new report suggests that it’s nearing completion
🎃 It could arrive as early as this October
🔊 Apple is also reportedly releasing a new HomePod mini and Apple TV
🤷 It’s unclear what kind of upgrades will be in tow for them
Apple’s long-awaited entry into the smart home display category could arrive by the end of the year. Mark Gurman at Bloomberg reports that the company’s first smart home hub, regularly dubbed the “HomePad,” is almost ready to launch. Behind the scenes, the device is on track to be released as early as October, or by early next year. In addition, a new HomePod mini and Apple TV will also be released around the same time.
The HomePad has been rumored for quite some time, regularly surfacing in leaks and future product roadmaps from Apple. The device is said to look mostly like a HomePod with a 7-inch square display attached to the top. This display would give you visual responses when you talk to Siri, sort of like how the Amazon Echo Show works with Alexa. It’ll use a camera system to identify who’s looking at the screen to show contextual answers, relying on personal data that only you can access.
It would support apps like Calendar, Music, and even FaceTime. It would use some new operating system based on tvOS, while relying heavily on Siri AI for all of its functionality. Gurman says that there are two versions of the device being tested: one is the speaker and display combo I just described, while another is just a display that can use magnets to hang from your wall.
It’s not clear which version will come first, or if both will wind up hitting the market at the same time. We also don’t know much it’ll cost yet, but we expect those details to arise in the near future, if this launch timeline is to be believed.
Meanwhile, Gurman also notes that Apple is gearing up to launch a new HomePod mini and Apple TV. Both will reportedly look the same as their current versions, but will be faster with new chips and support for Siri AI. These products could be released between October and early 2027 as well, indicating that Apple has big plans for the smart home market in the near future.
If we hear anything else, we’ll let you know.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut and co-host of The Shortcut Live. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.