There have been a number of rumors suggesting Apple is working on a smart home display to rival that of Google’s Nest Hub and Amazon’s Echo Show. The speculation suggested the device would be controlled by Siri and could look similar to a HomePod with an iPad as its screen.
This device was initially expected to be revealed this year, with some of the first reports claiming it would arrive in the first half, though it was then said to be delayed towards the end of the year, possibly arriving around the same time as the iPhone 17 series.
There is some more bad news however, with the latest report from Mark Gurman of Bloomberg (picked up by Macrumors) suggesting Apple is “considering a delay until 2026” for the smart home device. Gurman said in this Power On newsletter, that “major engineering hiccups related to the revamped Siri voice assistant [have] ended up delaying the product.”
“No big surprise there: The device will be primarily controlled by voice, and it depends on Siri and the underlying App Intents technology,” Gurman added.
When might Apple’s smart home hub arrive?
It’s not clear when in 2026 the device could appear, though it ties into the recent announcement of Apple delaying the revamped and more personalised Siri that was previewed during WWDC24. Apple said the revamped Siri would arrive “in the coming year”, which is expected to be sometime between the arrival of iOS 19 in September and iOS 19.4 in March or April 2026.
While the existence of the smart home device Gurman is claiming has been delayed hasn’t even been confirmed by Apple, it is apparently codenamed J490 and it’s said a number of employees are testing it in their homes. It’s also said that it might not be a huge revenue driver for Apple but that it could lead to other future follow-up products, such as one Gurman says has “an AI personality, additional sensors and a robotic arm that can maneuver the screen above your desk, kitchen counter or nightstand”
For now, nothing is known for sure but if a revamped Siri isn’t going to be ready until later this year or early 2026, it makes sense that a device that would heavily rely on Apple’s assistant would also be delayed until the experience is right.
