Apple Smart Home Display Still Coming This Year

[MacRumors]

Apple remains on track to launch its first smart home device with a screen before the end of the year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Gurman reiterated that the device will use facial recognition to determine who is standing in front of it and serve up personalized content for that individual user. The description lines up with code found in macOS Tahoe 26.7 earlier this week, which revealed that the smart home hub will support multiple user profiles and use "ambient sensing" to verify identity. Apple is also readying a new Apple TV and an updated HomePod mini as part of the same renewed push into the home, according to Gurman.

Apple's smart home hub has been rumored for years. It is rumored to feature a square, seven-inch display with a front-facing camera, running an operating system closer to tvOS than iOS, with a home screen built around quick-access widgets. Pricing is expected to land somewhere around $350.

Apple originally intended to release the device in spring 2025, then targeted spring 2026, before pushing it back to September because Siri AI was not ready. Gurman reported over the weekend that Apple is rearranging sections of its retail stores to accommodate new smart home products.

Article Link: Apple Smart Home Display Still Coming This Year

 

[k1121j]

7 inch screen and no App Store is a let down ill stick with my iPad in the kitchen

 

[RedWeasel]

Are Flock cameras also considered "ambient sensing"? 😬

 

[MayaUser]

facial recognition is a nice touch...on mercedes the fingerprint allows you to swap the driver in 5 seconds from the seats, infota, AC, and so many things

 

[anthony13]

As an iPad owner it will take a lot to convince me I want this product. Seems like a lot of over lap but maybe the homeOS updates will explain/justify the need for this.

 

[egdiroh]

Why doesn't apple just make an app so that I can do this with my old iPad if it's good enough, to keep it off the used market, and to provide the added incentive to buy high-end iPads because they will have a second life?

 

[sentiblue]

This is the device I've been waiting for.. I need the ability to get video/response through in a timely manner.

Currently someone rings the doorbell, it takes few secs to get a notification on the phone, tapping the notification takes another at least 5s to open the app and show the video feed. Instead, I want the device to immediately respond to the ring by activating the video automatically, present the buttons to unlock door, ignore, silence, etc...

Similarly if something in the house triggers a notification, I need a context-aware screen with corresponding responses already in buttons so that I can easily make decision without having to go open apps, wait, respond.

 

[anthony13]

I also just miss a good old fashioned door bell.

 

[epox999]

Just in time to compete against the 2017 Amazon Echo Show