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Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman says Apple plans to announce a new smart-home hub on Oct. 13, with a six-inch screen, FaceTime camera and personalized Siri features. Apple has not confirmed the report, and details including the device’s name, price and availability remain unknown.
Apple is reportedly preparing to announce a new smart-home hub on Oct. 13, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote in his Power On newsletter, according to CNET. The reported device would add a screen and personalized Siri features to Apple’s home lineup, but Apple has not confirmed the announcement or the product details.
Gurman’s report describes a hub with a six-inch rounded-corner display and a FaceTime camera. The camera would reportedly identify the person using the device so it can show that person’s calendar, notes and apps, and tailor Siri’s answers to them. A visitor mode would hide personal information, CNET reported. How the system would behave when several people are gathered around the screen is not specified.
The device is said to come in two designs: a countertop version with a round base and screen mounted on an articulating arm, and a wall-mounted version using the screen alone. Both would require wall power rather than running on batteries. The report does not identify the product’s name; “HomePad” has appeared in earlier rumors but was not named by Gurman in the account cited by CNET.
Alongside the hub, Apple is reportedly planning updated HomePod mini and Apple TV hardware. The devices would use newer processors to handle Siri AI requests, and the small speaker could come in additional colors, including pink and green. Apple did not immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment, according to the outlet.
A New Screen for Apple Homes
A dedicated home screen could give Apple another way to bring Siri and Apple’s home controls into everyday household routines, rather than relying on a phone, tablet, speaker or television. Personalized profiles, if they work as described, could make a shared device more useful to different members of a household while keeping their information separate from visitors.
The product would also put Apple in a position to compete more directly in the market for screen-equipped smart-home assistants. Its appeal will depend on practical details that have not been reported, including price, software support and how reliably it recognizes people. Customers may also compare it with an iPad they already own, which can serve as a screen for recipes, calls and other tasks.
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A Long-Delayed Home Display
Rumors of an Apple smart-home display have circulated for years, with earlier reports describing a screen that could move on a robotic arm. CNET’s account of Gurman’s latest report says stalled progress on Siri and Apple Intelligence delayed the product’s rollout. The new account describes an articulating arm but does not establish whether it will track people or reposition the display automatically.
The reported hub would sit alongside Apple’s existing HomePod and Apple TV products, rather than replace either outright. Apple has not released specifications or a launch plan for the rumored device. Gurman’s newsletter has a record of reporting internally sourced information, CNET said, but that track record does not make this particular report an official Apple announcement.
“Apple plans to announce a new AI-powered smart-home hub on Oct. 13.”
— Mark Gurman, in his Power On newsletter, as reported by CNET
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Product Details Still Unconfirmed
Apple has not publicly confirmed the hub, the reported Oct. 13 announcement date, or the accompanying product updates. The name, price, release date, countries where it would be sold and software requirements are not stated in the report. It is also unclear how the screen would handle multiple people nearby, what visitor mode would conceal, and how facial recognition data would be processed.
The report does not settle whether the arm moves to follow a user or simply allows the screen to be adjusted by hand. Nor does it explain which Siri features would be available at launch, or whether the reported processor upgrades to Apple TV and HomePod mini would ship at the same time as the hub.
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Watch for Apple’s Announcement
The next milestone cited in the report is Oct. 13, when Gurman says Apple plans to make an announcement. Until Apple speaks publicly, the date and product specifications should be treated as reported plans, not confirmed launch details. An official announcement could clarify the device’s name, price, availability, capabilities and how it fits with existing Apple smart-home products.
If Apple does not announce the hub on that date, the timing and status of the reported hardware would remain open. The company has not provided a public schedule for the HomePod mini or Apple TV updates either.
smart home hub with FaceTime camera
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Key Questions
Has Apple confirmed the smart-home hub?
No. The expected announcement is based on Mark Gurman’s reporting, as described by CNET. Apple has not publicly confirmed the product.
When is the hub reportedly expected to be announced?
Gurman reports that Apple plans an announcement on Oct. 13. The company has not confirmed that date.
What features is the reported hub expected to have?
The report describes a six-inch display, a FaceTime camera, personalized Siri responses and a visitor mode. These details have not been confirmed by Apple.
Will Apple also update HomePod mini and Apple TV?
Gurman’s report, as relayed by CNET, says both products are due for updates, including newer processors for Siri AI requests. Apple has not announced specifications or release timing.
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