Apple's smart home hub, internally codenamed J490, is reportedly being tested in employees' homes.
Apple's smart home hub is said to feature a front-facing camera system
Apple recently launched its first foldable phone, iPhone Duo, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro series. Now, the company seems to be preparing to unleash a smart home display similar to Amazon Echo Shows but with advanced features like facial recognition. While Apple remains tight-lipped about the launch, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reveals the launch timeline of this long-awaited device. It is expected to combine different features like smart home controls, video calls, media playback and more in a single interface.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman claims Apple will introduce its smart home screen as early as next month. The product, reportedly developed with the internal codename J490, is said to be undergoing testing in employees' homes ahead of the official launch.
Gurman says the smart display is one of the most anticipated launches of CEO John Ternus's early tenure, like the iPhone Duo and the touch screen MacBook. The Smart home display will reportedly be built around Apple's Siri AI. It could run on a "new operating system designed specifically around Siri AI."
Apple's smart display will reportedly boast an advanced display, a camera, microphones, and an interface that combines elements of iOS, tvOS and watchOS. It could sync with iPhone for setup and various other tasks.
People will reportedly be able to access Siri on the home hub to look up information across their devices and accounts to find specific photos. Gurman says users could ask the assistant to play songs or podcasts and do more precise tasks in apps like Notes, Reminders and Calendar. The Siri AI app will also let users perform complex searches within an Apple interface.
The smart display is said to feature its own home screen, widgets and clock faces. It is expected to offer Wi-Fi connectivity. The notable feature of the device could be its front-facing camera system. It will reportedly recognise who is looking at the display and personalise information shown on screen using Apple's Face ID system. Depending on the user, the display could personalise apps, notes, calendar appointments, news, music and podcasts.
Gurman says the Apple smart home hub will feature a roughly square display and could be offered in two form factors. One version may sit on a stand, while another is likely to be attached directly to a wall, resembling the design of Echo Show, though Apple's display could be considerably smaller. The stand-mounted version is reportedly similar in concept to a HomePod mini with a display.
Apple will reportedly position the display as an intelligent personal hub that can bring together information and services from across its ecosystem.
Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.