Apple has been working on a new SmartHome Hub for a while and in the beta version of iOS 18.6 a reference to this homepad has now been found.
iOS 18.6 explains details about the Homepad
The code of iOS 18.6 appears to contain a new image with the name ‘Apple-logo-1088@2x~home.png’. The suffix ‘~ Home’ indicates that the image refers to the HomeOS control system for the Apple Homepad. It is expected to get a square iPad-like screen. If this message about the image is correct, it proves that Apple is still working on the software for the Homepad.
The SmartHome device from Apple gets a 6-inch or 7-inch screen and is equipped with the A18 chip of the iPhone 16 models. The device can be attached to the speaker base or on the wall. It is used, among other things, to operate smart home accessories, feed FaceTime video calls, and to use the intercom function of Apple between rooms in a house. It could also serve as a security system with a camera designed by Apple.
For a long time it was expected that Apple last week during the WWDC 2025-Developer conference would give an early preview of the Homepad and Homeos. That did not happen in the end. Apple was initially planning to present the Homepad in March 2025. However, the launch of the device has been postponed because Apple has also postponed the personalized Siri functions. The device will therefore probably only be launched when those Siri functions are ready.
Apple Homepad is probably coming in 2026
In March, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that a homepod with a screen in the third quarter of 2025 would go into mass production. Kuo probably refers to the rumors about the Homepad. If his timetable is correct, the device could still be announced somewhere later this year. We expect the actual launch at the latest next year.
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