Apple Again Rumored to Launch Smart Home Camera Alongside HomePod With Display

[MacRumors]

Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today again said that Apple plans to release its own HomeKit-enabled wireless smart home camera in 2026.

Logitech Circle View camera​

In a blog post about Apple's smart home plans, Kuo said the camera will have tight integration with the rumored HomePod with a display. It is likely that the camera would be sold as an optional accessory alongside the new HomePod hub, providing customers with a home security solution entirely designed by Apple for the first time ever.

Apple would almost certainly tout the privacy and security benefits of its own smart home camera compared to competitors. The company already offers HomeKit Secure Video, which leverages iCloud to securely stream and store video clips from compatible HomeKit cameras, with end-to-end encryption. HomeKit Secure Video cameras can be managed through the Home app on Apple devices, just like other HomeKit accessories. Examples of HomeKit Secure Video cameras include the Logitech Circle View and the Eve Cam.

Apple's smart home camera could also have some additional features not available on third-party HomeKit cameras, but no specifics are known yet.

Kuo expects Apple to begin mass production of the HomePod with a display in the second half of 2025, but he did not provide a release timeframe. He expects the device to feature a 6-7 inch display, an A18 chip, and Apple Intelligence support.

It is not entirely clear if Kuo is referring to the same Apple smart home hub that Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects to launch as early as March 2025. Gurman said the hub will have around a six-inch display and support Apple Intelligence, so some of the rumored specifications sound the same at the very least. Gurman said the hub can be mounted on a wall, or attached to an optional HomePod-like speaker base. If these rumored devices are one and the same, then a launch might be a little further away than previously expected.

Article Link: Apple Again Rumored to Launch Smart Home Camera Alongside HomePod With Display

 

[sunapple]

Got an idea for its design, here's a rough mockup:

 

[stocklen]

seems like many of these analysts claims don't ever have to come of anything and this is another that seems far fetched.

Firstly, why would Apple want to join the market when so many others are there selling cameras.

Secondly, the Apple cameras will not be pitched to compete price-wise with others and will not sell well - I cant see a camera having some killer feature that others don't do.

That said, there are NOT many decent choices for HomeKit secure cameras out there even now. Apple should make better inroads at getting other manufacturers to make HomeKit secure cameras rather than try to make their own. Change the specs so that its not capped at 1080p for example to make them more attractive devices for people.

I tried the Logitech circle view camera, and it was terrible. Constant disconnections and was offline more than it was online making it useless for security.

 

[MrRom92]

I struggle to imagine what kind of feature would entice me to get an Apple branded camera over any other HKSV capable camera. I’m sure they’d make something good, but better than the competition?

My Aqara cost me (what I assume will be) a fraction of the price and is very fully featured. I don’t see myself replacing it unless somebody made something better in all aspects.

My only real complaint, btw, is that the 2 way audio speaker is kind of quiet; and there isn’t an option to connect to Ethernet instead of WiFi.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Sigh. I want outdoor cameras, not indoor.

POE would sure be nice, too... I know it's never going to happen, though.

 

[Rychiar]

seems like many of these analysts claims don't ever have to come of anything and this is another that seems far fetched.

Firstly, why would Apple want to join the market when so many others are there selling cameras.

Secondly, the Apple cameras will not be pitched to compete price-wise with others and will not sell well - I cant see a camera having some killer feature that others don't do.

That said, there are NOT many decent choices for HomeKit secure cameras out there even now. Apple should make better inroads at getting other manufacturers to make HomeKit secure cameras rather than try to make their own. Change the specs so that its not capped at 1080p for example to make them more attractive devices for people.

I tried the Logitech circle view camera, and it was terrible. Constant disconnections and was offline more than it was online making it useless for security.

disconnections are and inherent problem with HomeKit secure video. it doesn't matter which camera you have. I have a Logitech circle 2 and 4 Eufy 2Cs and they all disconnect and reconnect at random...often at a time when you wish to have captured something...

 

[chenks]

disconnections are and inherent problem with HomeKit secure video. it doesn't matter which camera you have.

source?

i have 3 cameras (all different makes and styles, 1 of them being a Eufy), and haven't had any "disconnections" of an inherent nature.
maybe your WIFI network is poor which is the cause of your disconnections.

 

[Rychiar]

source?

i have 3 cameras (all different makes and styles, 1 of them being a Eufy), and haven't had any "disconnections" of an inherent nature.
maybe your WIFI network is poor which is the cause of your disconnections.

I had Eero routers for years both in my apartment and my house running off cable and they did and now I have Deco wifi 7 routers running off fiber and the cameras sill disconnect on and off throughout the day... the home base is right next to the router so its not a signal thing

 

[Christoffee]

Apple needs to build up its ecosystem. With the lack of trust around so much tech, routers and home security would be great. And it may encourage them to really make something decent out of HomeKit.

 

[mcfrazieriv]

disconnections are and inherent problem with HomeKit secure video. it doesn't matter which camera you have. I have a Logitech circle 2 and 4 Eufy 2Cs and they all disconnect and reconnect at random...often at a time when you wish to have captured something...

I second this. My cameras decide to go dark for zero reason throughout the day. I have strong network connectivity throughout the house. There's zero interference. It just decides to disconnect. Going back in the camera timeline always results in dark periods where these products decided "you know what, it's been a hard day, I deserve a rest."

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I’m doubting HomeKit can ever be much more than it is. Apple piles their big fat cut on top of it all and competing options don’t demand so much. Like everything else, Apple will have the “most profitable” home automation offerings while giving up the lion’s share of the market in volume. 💰💰💰

 

[stocklen]

disconnections are and inherent problem with HomeKit secure video. it doesn't matter which camera you have. I have a Logitech circle 2 and 4 Eufy 2Cs and they all disconnect and reconnect at random...often at a time when you wish to have captured something...

I second this. My cameras decide to go dark for zero reason throughout the day. I have strong network connectivity throughout the house. There's zero interference. It just decides to disconnect. Going back in the camera timeline always results in dark periods where these products decided "you know what, it's been a hard day, I deserve a rest."

exactly. And to those with no issues thats great...

.. but having cameras that have long random periods of downtime is completely at odds to what they are there for.

It was my experience with the circle view.

Its really annoying because I have an Apple One subscription so would prefer to use iCloud storage as its included for HomeKit video but there aren't really any reliable choices out there.

The backend needs to be far better before hardware is introduced.

 

[Will Co]

Make a proper outdoor camera that is designed for permanent operation. None of this wireless-from-batteries-nonsense where you have to climb the ladder every few months, and the cameras don't do permanent recording and analysis of the video. Let's do it properly. A POE Ethernet port, thank-you.

And make it affordable. Oh hang on. This is Apple....

 

[obviouslogic]

seems like many of these analysts claims don't ever have to come of anything and this is another that seems far fetched.

Firstly, why would Apple want to join the market when so many others are there selling cameras.

Secondly, the Apple cameras will not be pitched to compete price-wise with others and will not sell well - I cant see a camera having some killer feature that others don't do.

That said, there are NOT many decent choices for HomeKit secure cameras out there even now. Apple should make better inroads at getting other manufacturers to make HomeKit secure cameras rather than try to make their own. Change the specs so that its not capped at 1080p for example to make them more attractive devices for people.

I tried the Logitech circle view camera, and it was terrible. Constant disconnections and was offline more than it was online making it useless for security.

Apple likes to maintain control of their tech, usually for security and privacy reasons, so I'd assume their technologies are more difficult to support.

I have the same Logitech camera and it does the same thing, online, offline, online, offline. The Eufy cameras work much better IMO.

Apple used to make some of the best WiFi base stations, now I have Linksys, and it's crap compared to my old Airports.

I for one, hope they do start developing their own smart home devices and a new WiFi router

 

[Will Co]

the home base is right next to the router so its not a signal thing

It might be. Although a decent radio module should be capable of automatic level control, there are limits. It's possible that sitting right on top of the router is just too much RF and the camera (or the router) isn't handling it well.

I've seen it before with some outdoor Ubiquiti models - get too close and connection reliability drops. Turn down the radiated RF on the Ubiquity and the problem goes away. On that occasion I therefore blamed the other device.

 

[Rychiar]

It might be. Although a decent radio module should be capable of automatic level control, there are limits. It's possible that sitting right on top of the router is just too much RF and the camera (or the router) isn't handling it well.

actually the homebase for my eufy cams is hardwired ethernet now that I think of it but my wifi router and home hub are also within 15 feet of it.

 

[chenks]

Make a proper outdoor camera that is designed for permanent operation. None of this wireless-from-batteries-nonsense where you have to climb the ladder every few months, and the cameras don't do permanent recording and analysis of the video. Let's do it properly. A POE Ethernet port, thank-you.

And make it affordable. Oh hang on. This is Apple....

all you need is Scrypted and you'll get all of that.

 

[sunapple]

Apple needs to build up its ecosystem. With the lack of trust around so much tech, routers and home security would be great. And it may encourage them to really make something decent out of HomeKit.

You know, I’ve referred before to the 90s when Apple made all kinds of products that just about drove them to bankruptcy. But their finances are so very solid nowadays. I could indeed see why you’d thrust Apple over others and how it would benefit the ecosystem even with third party devices involved.

 

[chenks]

home hub are also within 15 feet of it.

i assume its a homepod mini?
get an ATV and hardwire youre home hub

 

[stocklen]

Apple likes to maintain control of their tech, usually for security and privacy reasons, so I'd assume their technologies are more difficult to support.

I have the same Logitech camera and it does the same thing, online, offline, online, offline. The Eufy cameras work much better IMO.

Apple used to make some of the best WiFi base stations, now I have Linksys, and it's crap compared to my old Airports.

I for one, hope they do start developing their own smart home devices and a new WiFi router

I understand why Apple exited the router market. till then I had their routers and they were great.

Since then ive moved to Eero mesh systems and have been very happy with them - better coverage that apple's single unit gave me, and no loss of wifi speed as Apple too managed.
Never had a dropped item or any issues with Eero - but even then, the Logitech circle view was up, down, up, down.

Although Apple could make some good stuff, I don't seen them coming back to the router market again due to saturation from many other providers... and in the same way I find it hard to think what they could add to wifi cameras.
You have to remember that Apple have no interest in 'low end' cheaper stuff - anything will be expensive and it will be a very tall order to entice people to buy an Apple branded camera at twice the price of a Eufy one for example when the Eufy one does everything people need it to do.

The only wifi camera I can see them making is something that will sit on top of a TV for FaceTime integrating with the Apple TV's FaceTime app - rather than using your phone. Again, the solution is already there in that you can use your phones camera for sofa to TV FaceTime so what's the point?

Again, I think the emphasis should be on firstly making sure all the current HomeKit cameras work well (and whose fault is this up and down connection? Apple's or Logitech's?) and then to encourage other manufacturers to make products that are HomeKit secure compatible.

Right now, people like us already know that HomeKit secure video can be really shonky and unreliable and for a security camera this is NOT going to encourage many sales.

 

[Rychiar]

i assume its a homepod mini?
get an ATV and hardwire youre home hub

I have the latest Apple TV hardwired and somehow it is my worst home hub. when its set to my home hub I have more things disconnect and my lights never come on when I pull in my driveway... It makes no sense. I wanted to choose it exclusively as the home hub for years and now that I can I find myself choosing my very first HomePod mini which is on the wall in the kitchen. it gives me the best reliability across the board... just makes no sense. But I have a lot of threat devices too and maybe the thread radio in the new Apple TV just sucks in comparison

 

[Butler Trumpet]

I tried the Logitech circle view camera, and it was terrible. Constant disconnections and was offline more than it was online making it useless for security.

I have 3 in my house. They have been great since iOS 18 where you can pick your hub. I picked my AppleTV 4k that is wired to our network. All the cameras respond great and quickly.

 

[stocklen]

Make a proper outdoor camera that is designed for permanent operation. None of this wireless-from-batteries-nonsense where you have to climb the ladder every few months, and the cameras don't do permanent recording and analysis of the video. Let's do it properly. A POE Ethernet port, thank-you.

And make it affordable. Oh hang on. This is Apple....

pretty unrealistic.

People mostly aren't stupid enough to mount battery cameras so high they need a ladder to change the battery but if they do, they do and its not something that needs doing more than a few times a year.

PoE is completely impractical for the vast majority of potential customers. I, like many others, do not have and have no interest whatsoever reverting back to a spaghetti junction of cables snaking back and forth across the house for a camera that should be perfectly OK using modern wifi standards.

but, affordable... yep not wrong there - if we wish for apple to make their own cameras they wont be pitched to compete with others.
They made the mistake with the OG HomePod and nobody bought it. Only when they launched the mini did it gain any traction in the Market given it was much closer to the competition.
Apple could make their own cameras.... but a camera is a camera and will be a hard sell in comparison to cheaper options that are still... cameras.

 

[Oestreich Dieter]

Sigh. I want outdoor cameras, not indoor.

POE would sure be nice, too... I know it's never going to happen, though.

Just get ubiquiti, they are great.

 

[jarman92]

No rush, Apple, you've only had like 10 years.