Apple is reportedly preparing to launch its long-awaited smart home hub on October 13, marking the company’s biggest expansion into the smart home market in years.
The device, commonly referred to as HomePad but internally known by the codename J490, is expected to become the centerpiece of a new generation of Apple home products built around Siri AI.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple plans to begin its new smart home push on October 13, with the HomePad joined by updated versions of the HomePod mini and Apple TV.
The new device is expected to feature a roughly square touchscreen measuring around seven inches, making it considerably smaller than an iPad.
One version reportedly places the display on a half-dome speaker base that has been compared to a HomePod mini cut in half.
Apple has also developed a second version designed to attach to a wall using a magnetic mounting system.
The company reportedly envisions customers placing multiple units around their homes rather than treating the device as a single central display.
HomePad is expected to run an entirely new interface built around Siri AI, combining elements familiar from iOS, tvOS, watchOS, and the iPhone’s StandBy experience.
The home screen is expected to support widgets and customizable clock faces alongside controls for smart home accessories.
Siri AI will reportedly be the device’s defining feature.
Users are expected to be able to ask the hub to find information stored across their Apple devices and accounts, locate photos, play media previously shared with them, and carry out more precise tasks in apps including Notes, Reminders, and Calendar.
The device is also expected to support FaceTime video calls, Intercom, media playback, Apple services, and centralized controls for connected smart home accessories.
A built-in camera and sensors are reportedly capable of identifying who is standing in front of the device so the interface and personal information can change automatically for different members of a household.
The display could also adjust the size and type of information it shows depending on how far away a person is standing.
Apple’s new hub has been delayed repeatedly as the company waited for the Siri technology it was designed around.
Earlier versions of the project were reportedly targeted for release as far back as 2025, before problems developing Apple’s next-generation Siri pushed the hardware back.
The arrival of Siri AI with Apple’s latest operating systems has now removed one of the biggest obstacles to launching the device.
Apple hasn’t announced pricing for the HomePad. Previous reports have suggested a price in the region of $350, although that figure remains unconfirmed and could change before launch.
The reported October 13 introduction would arrive just three days before iPhone Duo pre-orders begin on October 16 and ten days before Apple’s first foldable iPhone reaches customers.
If the report proves accurate, October 13 could mark the beginning of one of Apple’s most significant attempts yet to turn the Home app, Siri, HomePod, and Apple TV into a more complete smart home platform.
