Rumored new HomePod with smart home controls delayed until 2026
David Joseppi
Posted On 09/04/2025 
Apple’s long-rumored smart home device — expected to feature a HomePod with a mounted iPad-like display for controlling smart home accessories, making FaceTime calls, and more — has reportedly been delayed until 2026, following setbacks related to the company’s Apple Intelligence initiative.
The update comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who previously reported on the potential delay. In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter published Sunday, Gurman said Apple is “considering a delay until 2026” due to “major engineering hiccups” with the overhauled Siri voice assistant, which is expected to play a central role in the device.
According to Gurman, Apple initially planned to release the product in tandem with the launch of Apple Intelligence. “The major engineering hiccups related to the revamped Siri voice assistant ended up delaying the product,” he wrote. “No big surprise there: The device will be primarily controlled by voice, and it depends on Siri and the underlying App Intents technology.”
Internally code-named J490, the device is still in development, with a limited number of Apple employees reportedly testing it at home in real-world scenarios.
It remains unclear whether Apple will offer a preview of the product at WWDC 2025 in June, similar to how it introduced the Apple Vision Pro ahead of its official release.
