Apple (AAPL.US) plans to enter the next major category of smart homes in the new AI application sector, with a central device set to be released on October 13

According to Zhitong Finance APP, Apple (AAPL.US) plans to advance its long-delayed smart home initiative on October 13, marking a key product expansion under new CEO John Ternus. According to sources, the core of this strategy is a smart home hub codenamed J490. Apple also plans to announce the first update to the HomePod mini since its 2020 debut, as well as the first new TV box since 2022.

This represents an important early test for Ternus, who took charge on September 1. Apple sees the smart home as a lucrative opportunity—one of the company's famed "next big things"—but the tech giant has previously struggled to gain traction in this segment, lagging behind Amazon and Alphabet’s Google.

These products will also serve as showcases for Apple's new Siri AI assistant, a technology the company has been developing for years. The revamped Siri has suffered multiple delays, and these smart home devices are expected to highlight Apple's efforts to finally catch up in the field of artificial intelligence.

According to the sources, the home hub will feature an approximately 6-inch square display, with versions for wall mounting and countertop placement. Because the product has not been announced, these individuals requested anonymity. The new HomePod mini and Apple TV will retain their current designs but incorporate faster processors to support Siri’s more powerful AI models.

The new HomePod mini will also come in new colors, including green and pink. Apple ultimately aims to also refresh its larger HomePod speaker. Bloomberg News has previously reported on these new devices and their connection to Siri AI. A spokesperson for Cupertino-based Apple declined to comment.

The defining feature of this hub is its ability to serve multiple household members. It's designed to recognize who is speaking to or approaching it, then display personalized content and provide responses based on that individual’s data and account.

For example, when a user approaches, the device will show that user’s contacts, messages, calendar schedule, notes, and their preferred app layout. When another recognized family member gets close, the interface can switch automatically. There will also be a guest mode to hide personal information.

The device identifies users via voice or facial recognition systems, though the latter is less reliable than Face ID on the iPhone. If users don't want to rely solely on voice or facial recognition, they can require secondary authentication on their iPhone. The iPhone also serves as a fallback when the hub can’t correctly recognize someone. In a dimly lit room, a circle of virtual white light will illuminate the area around the screen to help the camera recognize users.

Apple envisions users placing multiple such displays around their homes. They can be used to control thermostats, door locks, and other connected products, as well as for video calls, intercom-style communication, music playback, and viewing photo slideshows stored in Apple’s iCloud service.

The company also positions this device as a kitchen communication and information hub—users can use voice to look up recipes, watch videos, or make FaceTime calls while cooking. Since the device is designed to be stationary, it only has a front-facing FaceTime camera, with no rear camera. The product’s microphones and speaker are located in its connected base.

The hub is about as thick as an iPhone, with a black bezel 0.5 cm (about a quarter inch) wide around the display, reminiscent of early iPad models. It features rounded corners, with no sharp edges. The device contains no battery and must be plugged in at all times, with no volume or power buttons.

The product features Apple’s signature gray aluminum finish and includes a USB-C port for power. The screen sits above a circular metal base with several rings of speaker holes, connected to the display by a polished metal arm. The user can manually tilt the display forward or backward. The bottom of the base is rubberized to keep it stable on a tabletop. The standard version’s appearance is reminiscent of the famous 2002 iMac G4—with a large display perched atop a hemispherical base.

Apple has also developed a second version, codenamed J491, designed specifically for wall mounting. It features a thin, square base below the display, housing the speaker and microphone and mounted flush against the wall beneath the screen. This version also must remain connected to power via a USB-C cable.

This launch has been brewing for years. Apple concluded some time ago that it needed a stronger presence in the home market—a market where competitors like Amazon and Google have made significant progress. Apple's first attempt was the original HomePod, launched in 2018, which underperformed. The lower-priced HomePod mini did better but never became a breakout hit.

Apple ultimately settled on a new direction: combining an AI-powered operating system and voice assistant with a screen-equipped, HomePod-like device. The company is also developing a privacy-focused home security camera and sensors, codenamed J450, capable of detecting which room a person is in. This product is planned for a later release and will not record video.

Another product in development is an upgraded version of the home hub, which uses a larger nine-inch display attached to a mechanical arm, allowing the screen to move through space. This more advanced model’s display is designed for 360-degree rotation.

Apple’s initial goal was to launch its first smart home display, a new HomePod mini, and Apple TV in 2024, alongside the revamped Siri. However, delays to the digital assistant forced Apple to postpone these home devices as well. With the rollout of Siri AI this month on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other Apple products, the company now finally has the conditions to debut its new smart home product line.

The new Siri relies on large language models—developed in collaboration with Google (GOOGL.US)—and can pull information from the open web. It is designed to work more reliably than the previous version and to allow users to control devices, smart appliances, and apps more smoothly.

This hub device adopts the dark visual style of Siri AI seen on other Apple products. Its operating system blends interface elements from Apple Watch, Apple TV, and iPad, including app designs reminiscent of the iPad and Apple Watch-style icons displayed on the home screen. It also features iPhone-like widgets, such as stock quotes, calendars, and weather updates.

The interface is heavily built around photo slideshows and clock displays, similar to the new StandBy Mode coming to Apple’s upcoming iPhone Duo foldable phone. One of the clock styles resembles a lava lamp with a digital time overlay—hours displayed numerically and minutes below. Users can then swipe up from the clock or photo view to open the app launcher.

Apple has included many of its most commonly used apps, including Calendar, Messages, Photos, FaceTime, Notes, Reminders, Music, and Podcasts. Users can choose wallpapers and rearrange apps and widgets with a long press, just like on the iPhone.

Individual apps also borrow from the iPad. For example, “Messages” uses a two-panel layout: when a user clicks on a conversation from the list, the second panel opens the selected chat. This layout carries over to many other pre-installed apps.

Beyond hardware, Apple is also developing a broader smart home ecosystem, expanding on its HomeKit software and supporting new categories of connected devices. The company is working with third-party manufacturers to develop new devices designed specifically for the Siri AI smart home platform.