What’s happened? It appears Apple is, finally, building a proper smart screen for the home. The centerpiece is a roughly 7-inch display that runs your place, with a FaceTime camera and identity-aware software that shifts to whoever walks up. The launch has apparently moved to spring 2026 after Apple delayed its Apple Intelligence AI it wants to ship alongside it.
- Mark Gurman reported in Bloomberg that there are two versions are in play: a tabletop screen with a speaker base, and a wall-mounted option – the latter of which would go head-to-head with Amazon’s Echo Show 15.
- Apple originally eyed March 2025, then other internal windows, before resetting the timeline to spring 2026.
- There’s also indoor security cams tipped to be produced in Vietnam and slated for release at the end of next year.
- Meanwhile, Gurman claims a more advanced tabletop robot with a roughly 9-inch display on a motorized arm, and a more conversational Siri, will arrive in 2027.
Why this matters: Apple has never shipped a dedicated home controller, or suite of smart home devices outside of the HomePod and HomePod Mini. This lineup, a screen first, then security cameras, and later a tabletop robot, puts it directly against Amazon and Google, and ties Apple’s hardware to a broader AI Siri upgrade.
- A built-in camera would bring FaceTime and quick check-ins to a shared screen.
- For a wider view of the category, check our best smart displays you can buy now.
Why should I care? If you live in Apple’s world, this fills the blank spot on your counter or wall. It centralizes HomeKit devices, FaceTime, music, and a more capable Siri so you reach for your phone less.
- New Siri, planned for March next year, is designed to pull web answers and trigger actions inside apps, which makes a fixed home display more useful.
- For Apple households, it links services and accessories in one glanceable panel.
- We’ll have to wait and see how these new devices compare to the best smart home devices today.
Okay, so what’s next? The report says Apple will ship the screen first, the cameras could follow late next year, and the tabletop robot the year after. To keep costs and risk in check, Apple is leaning on LCD panels and Vietnam production.
- Pricing conversations for the screen mention $350, which sits above many Echo and Nest rivals, but nothing is confirmed.
- Operations teams are still pushing to meet the target price for the hub.
- Hardware has been ready for months but the release is timed to the Siri upgrade.
- If successful, an Apple smart home may be just a couple of years away.
