Apple is supposedly working on a Smart Home Hub featuring an iPad-like display that will serve as a center for controlling all smart home accessories. This rumored Smart Home Hub is expected to run the new HomeOS software for Apple's smart home products. Initially planned for release sometime this year, the Smart Home Hub was later delayed until 2026.
Now, a fresh report suggests that the device has been further postponed, thanks to the delay in upgraded Siri features. This piece of information comes from a reliable source—Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. According to Gurman, the Smart Home Hub will not launch this year, but also refrained from suggesting a revised timeline.
Gurman stated,
Apple also is still working on a foray into a new product category: the smart home hub. As I’ve reported before, it’s developing a device code-named J490 with an iPad-like screen and home-control features. At one point, the company had hoped to announce this product in March. But because the device, to an extent, relies on the delayed Siri capabilities, it has been postponed as well.
Upgraded Siri, which was showcased during WWDC 2024, was expected to roll out with iOS 18.4. However, the upgraded Siri features were later reported to be pushed over to iOS 18.5. Apple is reportedly facing some software bugs, which might take a while to get resolved. The upgraded Siri is important for Apple's Smart Home Hub, because it will pack features such as understanding personal context, on-screen awareness, deeper app-controls, etc.
The delay in the roll out of Siri upgrades has also pushed the debut of the Smart Home Hub. The report does add that Apple has asked a few of its employees to test a pre-release version of the device at their homes, as a part of an internal testing program. The device is expected to feature a 6 or 7 inch OLED display, which will be imported from China.
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