Apple ’s smart home efforts have been pretty meagerly so far – there ’s the Home app and theHomeKitplatform … and , well , that ’s about it . But that might all be about to change with the introduction of a couple of Apple - brand smart home gadget that could transform how you run in your home .
Right now , it look like there are two products on the horizon : an iPad - similar smart home hub that can be mount up in a dock or on a rampart , and a fresh screen impound to a transportable robotic branch . Neither are like anything Apple has developed before .
Here , we ’ve put together all the latest rumors so you know what to bear from Apple ’s upcoming overbold home devices . Let ’s see what ’s on the manner .
When might the products launch?
At the moment , it looks like Apple is going to space out the two devices . Starting with the more modest smart home hub , this is expect to arrive this year . Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has predicted it ’ll launchlater in 2025 , since it apparently relies on features coming in iOS 18.4 andiOS 19 . Apple usually releases major new iOS update in September , so with iOS 19 probable to come then , that could be the calendar month we also see the smart home hub .
Apple analyst Ming - Chi Kuo , meanwhile , has nail down the day of the month on either the 2nd or third quarter of 2025 .
As for the robotic arm , Gurman says this is come in “ as early as 2026 or 2027 , ” which seems to leave the threshold undetermined to the possibility that it could be delayed beyond that timeframe .
Now let ’s tattle pricing . We have n’t had much in the way of price indications for the rest home hub , but given it sounds like it will have similar features to theAmazon Echo Show , which can cost anywhere from $ 90 and up , a price tag of between $ 100 and $ 200 would n’t seem unreasonable .
The robotlike branch , though , is blend in to be far more expensive . Gurman describe it as “ pricy ” and says that Apple is currently “ expect to get the Mary Leontyne Price down to around $ 1,000 . ”
Design: reminiscent of a classic Mac
While pricing and launch windows are pretty vague right now , we ’ve got a circumstances more information on what sort of designs to expect . begin with the rest home hub , this will comprise of a exhibit that is roughly the size of it of twoiPhonesside by side , Gurman says . News outlet9to5Machas claimed that the screenland will be in a “ squarish ” orientation and will be about six - in across .
Rumors betoken that the equipment is small and lightweight enough to be make a motion around , and you ’ll be able-bodied to mount it on a rampart . There will also be a dock for desktop use , and this dock could include speakers .
Gurman also consider the base will bereminiscent of the iMac G4from the former 2000s , and that the CRT screen will be positioned at an slant when climb on on this base . Gurman also says the domicile hub will add up with silver grey and pitch-black colorways .
The key blueprint factor of the other merchandise is , unsurprisingly , the automatonlike arm . At the destruction of the arm is a “ large screen , ” Gurman has reported , and the branch can move up and down and rotate through 360 degrees .
Performance and features
Given that both twist will amount with displays , we ’d expect touch fundamental interaction to boast prominently , and this will be used for apps and controlling connected machine . On the interior will be an A18 Saratoga chip with 8 GB of memory , which will enableApple Intelligence . You ’ll be able to apply this to control the product , alongside Siri and the touch mastery . Gurman tote up that the user user interface will be a mix betweenwatchOSand iOS’sStandBy modeand will also fall with aDock .
There ’s expected to be a tv camera on the front for FaceTime calls . This could also be used in conjunction with other detector todetect when a individual is draw end the home hub . When that occur , the content on - screen could modify . That might be handy for home mechanisation , such as turn over on a set of lights when you embark a room . It may also be able-bodied to distinguish between users and be controlled using hired man gesture .
AirPlayis also expected to feature in the domicile hub , which will let you connect various devices to its speaker .
Turning to the twist with the robotic arm , Gurman says that this is “ envisioned as a impertinent menage command center of attention , videoconferencing machine and remote control - ascertain family security shaft . ” Like the family hub , it ’ll in the main be ensure by Apple Intelligence and Siri . It could also reply to user commands ( such as “ search at me ” ) and Gurman believes it will “ understand different voices and adjust its focus accordingly . ”
In early February 2025 , a video emerged from Apple ’s labs showing aPixar - same robotic lampthat could interact with people in a remarkably human - like way . Although Apple will likely never release a lamp like this , it could well have been an former prototype or tech demo of the home hub with a robotlike sleeve . If so , we might see similarly realistic movement and behaviors from Apple ’s smart rest home gadget when it launches .
in conclusion , it ’s expected that both products will melt on the as - yet - unreleasedhomeOSoperating system . Traces and honorable mention of this have been discovered within Apple ’s code , but we do n’t eff many of the details at the bit .
