Apple’s reported smart home October 13 launch would put a display-equipped household hub at the center of a three-product lineup, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The company has not announced an event or any of the products, so the date, specifications and availability remain unconfirmed.
Gurman, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that Apple plans to introduce a hub internally code-named J490, an updated HomePod mini and a new Apple TV set-top box. The HomePod mini has not been updated since its 2020 debut, while Apple’s last new TV box arrived in 2022.
Gurman also wrote on September 30 that Apple would launch a display-based smart-home device on October 13. Bloomberg Television separately described the same reported lineup. Apple has not provided an official name or price for the hub in the reporting cited here.
What did Bloomberg report Apple will announce on October 13?
The central device is reportedly a roughly 6-inch square screen that would come in countertop and wall-mounted forms. It is meant to stay put: Bloomberg says it has no battery and needs USB-C power at all times.
The reported hardware includes a front-facing FaceTime camera, no rear camera, and microphones and speakers built into its base. Bloomberg describes the display as mounted above a round metal speaker base on an adjustable arm, allowing the screen to tilt forward or back. The report also says there are no physical power or volume buttons.
The proposed software behavior is more consequential than the furniture design. According to Bloomberg, the hub would attempt to identify household members by voice or facial recognition, then change the information it displays based on the recognized person’s accounts and data. That could include contacts, messages, calendar events, notes and a preferred app arrangement.
Bloomberg reported that the facial-recognition system is less reliable than Face ID on an iPhone. Users could require an iPhone as a second authentication step, and the phone could also serve as a fallback if the hub cannot determine who is in front of it. A visitor mode would suppress personal information, the report said.
What remains unknown?
- Apple has not confirmed an October 13 announcement.
- J490 is a reported internal code name, not a confirmed retail name.
- No price, release date or full specification sheet was included in the reporting.
- The supplied reporting does not establish device compatibility or other final product capabilities.
For now, this is a detailed report based on unnamed sources, not a product page or an Apple event invitation. Apple can still change timing, names or features before anything reaches a stage.
This story draws on original reporting from Daring Fireball.