Apple may launch 3 home products on Oct 13: HomePod mini, smart display hub and what more to expect
Follow UsThe rumoured smart display hub from Apple could have a 6-inch display and tabletop or wall-mounted options
For HomePod mini and Apple TV, Apple is reportedly preparing refreshed versions with faster chips to support upgraded Siri AI.
While Apple has not officially confirmed the date or gadgets, the rumoured product launches could happen on October 13.
Apple upcoming products 2026: Soon after the debut of the iPhone 18 Pro series and iPhone Duo, Cupertino-based tech giant Apple is reportedly gearing up to announce new smart home devices next month. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claims that the company will announce a new smart display hub (internally codenamed “J490/1”) on October 13, among other products.
SurveyWith the move, Apple is expected to rival Amazon and Google in the smart home category. The company has lagged behind in this segment for a while now. With CEO John Ternus at the helm, this will be Apple’s first significant hardware expansion under the new leadership.
Apple’s smart home hub and more: Rumoured details
The rumoured smart display hub is expected to sport a square 6-inch display with black bezels and rounded corners. It is expected to have a 2002 iMac G4-like design and a FaceTime camera on the front. While the gadget is expected to boast thickness similar to iPhones, it may miss out on a battery (but have a Type-C port for sourcing power) and volume and power buttons, MacRumours reported.
The screen could rest on a metallic round base (likely housing built-in speakers and mics), which may be attached via a metal arm for tilt adjustments. The rumoured rubberised base could help offer better grip on the table. It will likely ship in two variants: one placeable on a surface and the other wall-mountable. The latter may have a square base that will sit flat on a wall.
The product is expected to offer a range of capabilities, such as controlling devices, making calls, viewing multimedia, watching content online, voice-based controls and more unique features. It will reportedly also get personalisation capabilities (based on facial and voice detection) for multiple users and a guest mode to censor personal information for visitors.
In dark environments, the reported Mac-like Edge Light will help the camera identify the user. The device’s UI will use elements from iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Apple Watch such as widgets, wallpapers, app arrangement and more. It will heavily utilise the clock and slideshows alongside apps such as Messages, Photos, Calendar, FaceTime, Notes, Reminders, Music and more.
The upcoming smart display hub is expected to come in a grey colourway and an aluminium construction. While the flagship display will be the centre of attention in Apple’s smart home strategy, the company is also expected to refresh the HomePod mini and Apple TV. For context, the smart speaker and set-top box are due for an upgrade since 2020 and 2022, respectively.
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The smart speaker and set-top box are expected to have designs similar to the existing offerings, but with faster chipsets and Siri AI compatibility. HomePod mini is expected to debut in new green and pink shades. The success of these next-generation products will depend on Apple’s Siri AI assistant, which has lagged behind conversational AI models from rivals such as Google and OpenAI lately.
Meanwhile, Apple is also reportedly working on a more advanced smart hub that could ship with a 9-inch screen and 360-degree rotation. The report also noted that a privacy-oriented home camera and security sensor, which can detect a person’s presence without recording video, is also in the pipeline. But this and the bigger HomePod sibling are not expected on October 13.
