William Gallagher
The expected Apple Home Hub that was believed to be coming in March may now ship later, claims a new report that also backs up rumors that Apple is working on a home camera.
Rumors of Apple aiming to expand its home and particularly smart home offerings have chiefly centered on what's been described as a Home Hub. It's expected to have an iPad-like screen and may have the body of a HomePod.
Now according to Bloomberg, the Home Hub will feature a 7-inch screen, and will run on a new operating system codenamed Pebble. Despite being a new operating system, perhaps the previously-rumored homeOS, the Home Hub will reportedly make extensive use of App Intents, that will come with the iPhone's iOS 18.4 and iOS 19.
App Intents is a system here developers can offer features of their apps to iOS and so allow other apps or other devices to benefit from them. It's not known what specific App Intents the Home Hub could use, although it's highly likely that it will include features from within Apple's own Home app.
Nonetheless, the fact that it will rely on App Intents means that it's possible the Home Hub will not now be released before iOS 19. That is due to be announced at WWDC 2025, but it won't be publicly released until around September.
That's in line with the latest expectations about Apple Intelligence's revision of Siri. The new report backs up claims that a revamped Siri with AI features will be released in the spring of 2026.
Then 2026 is also now expected to be when Apple introduces a home security camera — and a doorbell with a Face ID camera.
Charles Martin
Malcolm Owen
Christine McKee
Marko Zivkovic
Wesley Hilliard
4 Comments
Until a product is given a release date or timeframe it can't really be delayed from our PoV. "Believed to be coming in March" doesn't mean that Apple had anything more than a desire to announce then, and that assumes that the product will absolutely be announced.
Why would Apple start offering a camera? All sensors they use are bought in and besides what shall this new product range bring to the game?
perhaps I am a little old to understand…
If the reports of what this is and what it is to be for are true, I shan't be a launch day customer. YMMV; and I'm happy for you if you find a use for such a thing.