Apple is planning to release an all-new smart home hub sometime late this year or early next year, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.
Gurman says the new hub device is built around the new Siri AI assistant, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The hub is designed to be placed in rooms throughout your home, and will be available in both tabletop and wall-mounted versions, as Apple is counting on many customers buying more than one hub.
The first version, known internally as J490, positions the screen on a half-dome-shaped base that looks similar to a HomePod mini cut in half. The other, code-named J491, is designed to be affixed to a wall using a new magnetic system.
The hub will basically be a combination of a 7-inch display on a HomePod-like speaker. Gurman also says the device’s operating system is an entirely new one, based on the Apple TV’s tvOS platform. The interface is described as a cross between tvOS, watchOS, and iOS. The screens will sport icons, widgets, and apps, as well as customizable clock faces.
Built-in facial recognition allows the hub to identify who is looking at the display resulting in personalized information, the report said. As a user approaches the hub, or moves away from it, the size of the interface elements will change.
Other features include FaceTime videoconferencing, home security monitoring and an intercom system for households with multiple Apple home devices.
Apple is also planning an advanced in-home security camera dubbed J450, aimed at competing with Amazon’s Ring, according to the report.
