HomeKit has been established for some time and more and more households have smart devices at home that work with this platform. Smart lighting or a WiFi thermostat in particular can already be found in many homes. More and more rumors indicate that Apple wants to introduce homeOS in 2025.
With homeOS, Apple probably wants to get even more out of Smart Home products so that they can communicate with each other even better. Developers may then be able to develop apps and tools to control smart devices or use them in their apps.
References to homeOS
Anyone who owns HomeKit devices can link them to the Home app for iPhone, iPad or Mac. You can easily manage, control and automate the devices. The HomePod, Apple TV and Siri also have a link with the Home app so that they can also control these devices.
Previously, Apple had vacancies open looking for software engineers for a homeOS platform. In addition, references to homeOS were found in the beta of tvOS 17.4 and iOS 17.4 last year. So there is a chance that Apple is hard at work with this mysterious software.
HomeOS operation
How exactly homeOS will work is still a matter of speculation, but it is almost certain that a new software platform for smart devices is being worked on. HomeOS is best seen as software that is needed to control HomeKit devices. For example, iOS runs on an iPhone, tvOS on an Apple TV and macOS on a Mac.
HomeOS will probably run on the Apple TV and HomePod, among others, and will ensure that smart devices can communicate with each other. In theory they can already do this, but HomeOS needs to make it even more accessible. Developers and manufacturers will also have better access to HomeKit accessories and tools.
Apple Intelligence
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports in his weekly newsletter that homeOS will likely also be the basis for Apple Intelligence on HomePods and other smart home devices. For example, the HomePod team is said to be working with the Apple Intelligence team to bring the new Siri to the smart speakers.
According to Bloomberg, Apple is working on a smart speaker with a display. This would even contain a ‘robot arm’ so that the screen moves with the user. You can operate the device with hand gestures or directly. This smart product could become a new central place in the smart home, including Apple Intelligence.
In addition, a cheaper version of the smart device would also appear without movable parts. You can then see it more as a Google Nest hub, a smart device to control your Google Home.
Availability
homeOS will probably not be introduced until 2025, but when is not yet known. Perhaps during a special Apple event in the spring, but an announcement during WWDC 2025 is also likely. Apple is also said to be working on a HomePod with an LCD display so that the screen can show additional information, perhaps this is part of homeOS.
‘; (function($) { $(‘#vodafone’).replaceWith(vodafone); })( jQuery );