The first Apple smart home hub will feature a square 6-inch display, a FaceTime camera, a new operating system and will launch as soon as March 2025, according to a new report from Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.
Per the report, the Apple smart home hub will primarily be a wall-mounted display to control HomeKit appliances. The device will also feature a camera for FaceTime video calls and heavy Apple Intelligence and Siri integration for voice-controlled activation.
Apple plans to position the device as a “command center for the home.” The device is heavily backed by CEO Tim Cook, who has instructed the company’s engineers and designers to prioritize work on the new smart home hub.
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The Apple smart home hub will reportedly look like a square iPad. Its screen measures around 6 inches, about the size of two iPhones side-by-side. The device will have two color options, silver and black. Unlike most modern Apple products, the smart home hub will feature thick uniform bezels. It will also have built-in speakers and a rechargeable battery.
The device’s user interface will be a blend of watchOS and StandBy, an iOS 17 feature that turns a locked iPhone into a quick information hub when charging and placed horizontally. Voice control will play a massive part in controlling the device as Apple plans to tout Apple Intelligence and Siri integration as a selling point. The smart home hub will also support App Intents, a new API for precise control with Siri.
The device’s home screen will feature a dock to pin favorite apps in addition to a customizable grid of app icons and widgets that includes key home controls. The device will also include built-in proximity sensors to measure how close a person is, automatically adjusting its user interface to display important home control as a user approaches closer to the device.
The device will be preloaded with redesigned versions of popular Apple apps like Safari, News, Notes, Calendar, Photos, and Music. FaceTime will also power video intercom sessions thanks to the device’s built-in camera. However, the device won’t support third-party apps at launch as Apple has nixed plans for a dedicated App Store.
Apple’s smart home hub will compete with similar devices from Google and Amazon like the Echo Show and Nest Hub. The device will be competitively priced in the sub-$300 range, with Apple envisioning customers buying multiple units and placing them in different places throughout their houses.
A distinctive feature of the Apple smart home device will be the support of different attachments and bases. One wall-mounted attachment allows the device to be held securely to a wall, much like a home security panel. Another attachment features an additional speaker at its base, making it ideal in a kitchen or on a desk.
The Apple smart home hub will be a standalone device, operating completely independently. However, it will require an iPhone nearby for initial setup and other tasks. Its operating system will also support Handoff, meaning users can start one task on the device and finish it on another and vice versa.
The device is one of several smart home hardware products Apple plans over the next few years. Other devices in consideration include a smart home security camera for 2026 and a $1,000 robotic tabletop device that could launch by 2027.
