The iPad-like smart home hub that Apple is developing isn't going to launch until mid-2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the device as soon as 2025, but it was delayed because of Apple's issues with the Apple Intelligence version of Siri.
The device will feature a built-in 7-inch display and a speaker, and it supposedly looks similar to the Google Nest Hub. Gurman describes it as "shaped like a square" with thin black or white bezels, rounded corners, and a half-dome-shaped base.
The hub, which is codenamed J490, will run an operating system codenamed "Charismatic." Charismatic is different from iOS, macOS, and tvOS in that it is designed to be used by multiple members of the household. The interface centers on clock faces and widgets for Apple apps, and it could have a Siri virtual interface that gives Siri a more personified look. Apple is said to be testing a look for Siri that resembles the Mac Finder icon.
A front-facing camera will scan a person's face as they approach, providing content and features specific to each user. There won't be a dedicated App Store, but the device will run Apple apps like Calendar, Camera, Music, Reminders, and Notes. Apple expects users to control the smart home hub with voice-based commands, though it does have a touch screen. References to J490 have already been found in Apple's code.
Siri will be central to the hub, and Apple is working on a version of Siri that is powered by large language models. Apple wants Siri to be able to incorporate personal data to provide a richer experience for users. The functionality was originally meant to be included in iOS 18, but now an expanded LLM version of Siri is coming instead. Apple could be ready to launch LLM Siri "as early as next spring." A visually redesigned version of Siri for iPhones and iPads could also come at some point in 2026.
Apple is testing an LLM version of Siri that is powered by its own internal models, but it is also simultaneously working on a version that uses outside technology from companies like OpenAI and Anthropic. Apple hasn't made a final decision on which model it will use.
The Charismatic operating system and the new version of Siri will also be the basis for a separate tabletop robot that Apple is working on for a 2027 launch.
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