New 'HomePod' Hub With 7-Inch Screen on Track to Launch This Year

[MacRumors]

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that a new HomePod-like smart home hub with a 7-inch screen remains on track to launch in 2025.

A conceptual render of Apple's rumored smart home hub​

Gurman believes the home hub will be "Apple's most significant release of the year," as it represents the company's "first step toward a bigger role in the smart home." In his newsletter, he said the device will be like a "smaller and cheaper iPad" that lets users "control appliances, conduct FaceTime chats, and handle other tasks."

Both a HomePod with a screen and an Apple home hub have been rumored by several sources, and it sounds like they are the same product.

Last month, for example, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that a new HomePod with a 6-to-7-inch display, an A18 chip, and Apple Intelligence support would enter mass production in the second half of 2025. Kuo said smart home capabilities would be a core aspect of the device, which aligns with the home hub rumors.

Gurman previously reported that the hub can be attached to a tabletop base with a speaker, or mounted on a wall. He said the device will run a new "homeOS" operating system with a customizable widget-focused home screen, and revolve around Siri, Apple Intelligence, and HomeKit. The hub could double as a home security system by displaying camera footage, and a built-in camera would allow for FaceTime video calls.

Apple's hub would compete with products like Google's Nest Hub and Amazon's Echo Show. It is unclear if Apple will actually use HomePod branding for the device, or if it will opt for an all-new name, such as the Apple Home.

Kuo and Gurman both said Apple is also planning an indoor camera that would work with the hub.

It is unclear if the current full-size HomePod speaker will be updated this year, but a new HomePod mini is expected to launch later this year.

Article Link: New 'HomePod' Hub With 7-Inch Screen on Track to Launch This Year

 

[turbineseaplane]

I see the rendering inspiration was a Magic Trackpad 1

I don't even know who would want this thing, or "why" ... but none of it will matter if it's overpriced

I'm a little skeptical about Apples ability to do something new like this and price it to actually sell

 

[macmac30]

Sorry, what is this going to do for those of us that already have an iPad, iPhone, Apple TVs…?

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I'm sure this camera will work with multiple video services, right?

 

[turbineseaplane]

Sorry, what is this going to do for those of us that already have an iPad, iPhone, Apple TVs…?

Cooking timers, recipes off YouTube/Web, quick FaceTime chat, viewing your Notes, Music controller, Apple Photos slideshows/frame mode, weather station (add in some 1st/3rd party remote probes from a Govee or someone)...

I can think of quite a few things

But ...

It all depends if it's priced correctly in or close to impulse buy territory

(Apple customer impulse buy .. so still not "cheap" of course)

 

[FSMBP]

Just like the regular HomePod, Apple will price themselves out on this.

 

[Rayansb]

This could've been an iPad mini with a stand and a software update to enable "hub mode". Rumors aside, it'll be interesting to see what Apple cooks up.

 

[sw1tcher]

Gurman believes the home hub will be "Apple's most significant release of the year," as it represents the company's "first step toward a bigger role in the smart home." In his newsletter, he said the device will be like a "smaller and cheaper iPad" that lets users "control appliances, conduct FaceTime chats, and handle other tasks."

... things I can already do on my iPhone and Mac.

A "cheaper iPad"? So Apple will price this at $399.00

 

[Realityck]

Gurman believes the home hub will be "Apple's most significant release of the year," as it represents the company's "first step toward a bigger role in the smart home." In his newsletter, he said the device will be like a "smaller and cheaper iPad" that lets users "control appliances, conduct FaceTime chats, and handle other tasks."

I don’t see the broader consumer appeal? You could do the same with an always on iPad and necessary accessories perhaps? How many observe the percentage of technology device users into smart homes? Seems something else would be Apple’s most significant release this year particularly revenue based.

 

[Oscar_440]

Apple turned off the possibility of iPad being a home hub. Now they're presumably gonna present an iPad alike home hub...
Good decision towards being a client oriented company.

 

[ignatius345]

Finally an at least vaguely plausible conceptual rendering to go with these stories.

 

[jz0309]

he said the device will be like a "smaller and cheaper iPad" that lets users "control appliances, conduct FaceTime chats, and handle other tasks."

While I like this render better than the previous ones, I know this device will not be for me. I have iPhone, iPad and a Mac to do FT calls already, don’t have appliances to control and can handle other tasks just fine.
I’ll give final judgement upon release

 

[centauratlas]

... things I can already do on my iPhone and Mac.

A "cheaper iPad"? So Apple will price this at $399.00

Yes, for something like this it needs to be $99 or $149 at most. Otherwise, why not just by an iPad and a stand?

 

[Realityck]

Yes, for something like this it needs to be $99 or $149 at most. Otherwise, why not just by an iPad and a stand?

We know Apple by their track record has rarely priced things extremely competitive.

 

[azentropy]

Cooking timers, recipes off YouTube/Web, quick FaceTime chat, viewing your Notes, Music controller, Apple Photos slideshows/frame mode, weather station (add in some 1st/3rd party remote probes from a Govee or someone)...

I can think of quite a few things

But ...

It all depends if it's priced correctly in or close to impulse buy territory

(Apple customer impulse buy .. so still not "cheap" of course)

All those things would work great on an old iPad if Apple would just come out with a "Home Station" app/mode and even released some speakers/docks.

 

[sjjones]

Why couldn’t this just be a special dock or stand for an iPad?

 

[turbineseaplane]

All those things would work great on an old iPad if Apple would just come out with a "Home Station" app/mode and even released some speakers/docks.

I don’t disagree with you, but I think there’s also room for a new focused product meant to do just these things specifically

 

[iZac]

They'll attempt to market it as a HomePod + an iPad mini ($300 + $500) and try to convince you that $400+ is a good deal.

 

[zombierunner]

They will drop support for Apple TV as home hub and make you buy this .. get over yourself apple, amazon and google are way ahead of you …. And don’t give me the usual shtick about privacy … no one cares

 

[turbineseaplane]

They will drop support for Apple TV as home hub and make you buy this .. get over yourself apple, amazon and google are way ahead of you …. And don’t give me the usual shtick about privacy … no one cares

Oof

Hadn’t thought about that possible move 😞

 

[Joshuaorange]

I don’t think Apple will find success in this segment. The competition is extremely fierce and their mantra of 70% profit margin just doesn’t work in this price range.

 

[sw1tcher]

All those things would work great on an old iPad if Apple would just come out with a "Home Station" app/mode and even released some speakers/docks.

🤣 Apple won't even let iMac owners use their old Macs in Target Display Mode to help prolong device usage and reduce environmental waste, and you want Apple to allow old iPads to be used as a Home Station?

 

[DarthDon]

IHub, IHub mini, IHub Air, IHub pro, IHub SE, ... Maybe IHub 5G?

 

[smulji]

This could've been an iPad mini with a stand and a software update to enable "hub mode". Rumors aside, it'll be interesting to see what Apple cooks up.

Or any iPad for that matter

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Sorry, what is this going to do for those of us that already have an iPad, iPhone, Apple TVs…?

Extract more cash from our wallets to help Apple fill vault #177.

Actually, the main point of a stationary, less-functional iPad Mini screen like this could be to be at home when those of us who have iPads are out with them. This is akin to asking why someone might want a standalone camera for AppleTV when they can just use their iDevice as Continuity Camera: what about when the "continuity camera" is out with its owners and others at home want to FaceTime Grandma?

What I would do is buy any number of <$30 mounts on Amazon to just allocate such jobs to retired, older iPads (which would offer full iPad functionality as a sizable bonus) just some examples...

...than buy something like this, but Apple knows that some number will buy anything they make... so they'll make it.

Conceptually, this MIGHT be able to do something regular iPads or repurposed older iPads can't... though it's hard to imagine exactly what that might be. Include proprietary connectors to HVAC equipment (that doesn't exist as iPad dongles)? Perhaps some OS offshoot functionality not shared with iPadOS (nor permitted to be replicated in iPad apps)? An open mind should apply until it actually hits... but I would have expected the rumor machine to have identified truly unique functionality by this point. There's always room for a surprise.

Otherwise, based on accumulated rumors, this looks like less functional iPad in a dedicated stand with an Apple brand prominently on it. Maybe that last part is the entire draw???