According to a new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is planning to release the Home Hub as early as October, and as late as early next year. Unsurprisingly, the new Siri AI will be its main selling point.
This device is basically a HomePod-like smart speaker with a 7-inch display. It will allegedly run an entirely new operating system based on Apple’s tvOS, with the interface being a blend of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS.
It will contain a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, and it will also have customizable clock faces. Apple fully expects people to buy more than one, and have them placed in rooms around the house. The Home Hub will be available in tabletop and wall-mounted versions.
The Home Hub will have built-in cameras and facial recognition, being able to identify who’s talking to it and show personalized information. As you approach the device or move away from it, the size of the UI elements will change accordingly.
The Home Hub will support FaceTime video calls, home security monitoring, and it will also come with an intercom system for households with multiple units. In the future, an enhanced version of the Home Hub will have a 9-inch display and a robotic arm that will allow it to move its screen around and capture more people or objects in a FaceTime call.
Today’s report also claims that Apple is still working on an in-home security camera that will compete with Amazon’s Ring products, as well as a new Apple TV set-top box and an improved HomePod mini speaker. The Apple TV and the HomePod mini will allegedly be released “this fall”.
