Apple’s new smart home hub might launch later than anticipated

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the new Apple smart home hub, which some refer to as ‘Apple command center’ or simply ‘HomePad’, might ship a little bit later than anticipated.

Apple has been working on a new device for your smart home for a decent while, and the company is expected to launch it this spring, particularly in March. As a refresher, here’s what we’re expecting with the product:

• 6-inch square display with thick bezel
• Camera at the top
• Rechargeable built in battery
• A new Apple operating system: homeOS
• Heavy focus on video applications like FaceTime
• Support for many Apple apps
• StandBy-inspired dashboard
• Easy ability to control your smart home
• Apple Intelligence support

Despite many rumors circulating for such a long time, it did sound like Apple was getting really close to finally releasing this thing. However, because of many of the Apple Intelligence delays, it might take a little bit longer to hit the market, according to Gurman:

Apple has been planning to introduce the home hub in March, but it may take longer to reach consumers. The device’s new operating system — code-named Pebble — is heavily tied to App Intents features coming in iOS 18.4 and iOS 19, so it’s plausible that the hardware itself will ship a bit later. 

Even though Apple is launching the hardware later, it still sounds like we’re set to see an unveiling in the coming months. It’s a little unfortunate that there’ll be a release delay, but it makes sense given this products heavy reliance on Apple Intelligence.

Gurman also reiterates that Apple is planning to launch ‘LLM Siri’, a more conversational chatbot-like assistant, in iOS 19.4 – which will launch in spring 2026. Apple is also preparing its own lineup of smart home accessories, starting with a Face ID-powered doorbell and a more private security camera.

What do you think of Apple’s rumored smart home hardware ecosystem? Let us know in the comments.

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