New Delhi: Apple has spent years circling the smart home without really landing in it. According to reports, that changes on October 13. Reuters relayed the report on Wednesday, which cited people familiar with the matter.
The centerpiece is a hub code-named J490. Apple is also said to be preparing the first HomePod mini update since the speaker debuted in 2020, plus its first new TV set-top box since 2022. Reports frames the launch as a critical expansion for the company under new CEO John Ternus.
Apple hasn’t confirmed any of this, so treat the details as reporting, not announcement.
Still, the picture that’s emerging is fairly specific. Apple-focused outlet The Apple Post, working from Bloomberg’s account, says the hub is being called HomePad. It’s expected to handle widgets, customizable clock faces, FaceTime calls, Intercom, media playback, and controls for connected accessories. One version reportedly sits on a table with a half-dome speaker base, while another is said to attach to a wall magnetically. That second one is the interesting bit. A device you can stick in a kitchen, a hallway, and a bedroom looks like a bet on the whole house rather than a single gadget on a shelf.
The updated HomePod mini is expected to work alongside the display, with Siri as the main interface for controlling accessories and Apple services. That’s a lot of weight to put on Siri. Whether it holds up is the open question, and nobody outside Apple can answer it yet.
Pricing is also unknown. Apple hasn’t announced a price for the HomePad. In a category where Amazon and Google have been selling cheap hubs for years, that number will matter a great deal.
The timing is worth noting too. The reported date lands three days before iPhone Duo pre-orders open on October 16, and ten days before Apple’s first foldable iPhone reaches customers. So October is shaping up to be crowded, and the smart home push may have to share the spotlight with the foldable.
For now, it’s a well-sourced report and not much more. But “long-delayed” has been the word attached to this project for a long time, and October 13 is close enough that we’ll find out soon whether Apple has actually made the leap.
