Smart home enthusiasts, it might be time to clear some space on your kitchen counter — Apple could be about to shake up the smart display market in a big way. According to a fresh report from Bloomberg’s ever-reliable Mark Gurman, Apple’s long-rumored home hub device, widely being called the ‘HomePad,’ could hit shelves as early as this October.
For context, Apple has been dancing around this product category for years. Competitors like Google and Amazon have had smart displays with screens for a while now, and Apple fans have been patiently — and sometimes not so patiently — waiting for Cupertino to throw its hat into the ring. It looks like that wait might finally be coming to an end.
So what exactly are we looking at? According to Gurman’s report, the HomePad will sport a 7-inch square display, which puts it squarely in competition with devices like the Google Nest Hub and Amazon’s Echo Show lineup. But Apple, being Apple, isn’t just throwing a screen on a speaker and calling it a day. The device is reportedly set to run a brand new operating system built on the foundation of tvOS, complete with grids of icons, widgets, and apps that will feel instantly familiar to anyone who has ever used an iPhone or Apple Watch.
Perhaps the most exciting element here is the role of Siri. Apple has been quietly but seriously overhauling its voice assistant with upgraded AI capabilities, and the HomePad is reportedly designed to put that new and improved Siri front and center. Think smarter home automation, more natural conversations, and a device that actually understands what you’re asking it to do — a far cry from the Siri of years past.
On top of all that, the device is said to support video calling and home security features, making it a genuinely versatile addition to any household. Whether you want to check in on your front door camera, hop on a FaceTime call with the family, or control your smart lights with a voice command, the HomePad seems designed to do it all.
An October launch would align perfectly with Apple’s typical fall release cadence, so the timing certainly checks out. Whether the HomePad can carve out a meaningful slice of the smart home market remains to be seen, but one thing is clear — Apple is ready to compete, and the smart home space is about to get a whole lot more interesting.
