Apple plans new home devices – will they arrive this year?
New Apple TV models, HomePod minis, and a completely new home device: Apple apparently has this in the pipeline by the end of the year after a long wait.
Old Apple HomePod 2: Finally offspring at Apple?
(Image: Apple)
Is the long-neglected Apple home and entertainment device lineup finally getting an overhaul? After reports in June, Apple has apparently finally managed to set a date for the revised Apple TV and HomePod mini devices – plus the introduction of a completely new home device that has been rumored for years under the term „Home Hub“. It remained unclear whether a new, large HomePod would also be released.
Siri AI and a possible date
The information comes from Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. According to his information, Apple had been waiting for the completion of Siri AI, with which the devices are finally supposed to become smarter. The new AI system will arrive in September, although initially only in English and within the EU not on iPhone and iPad. HomePod mini and Apple TV are (very) old: The HomePod mini is technically from 2020, the current Apple TV series from 2022. Therefore, neither is a purchase recommendation anymore, but Apple simply had no alternatives. The Home Hub, in turn, is intended to become a new control center for Apple's smart home system HomeKit, but also offer various features such as video conferencing.
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Allegedly, all three products are ready to hit the market. For Apple TV and HomePod mini, Gurman names “this fall” as the date, and for the Home Hub, which does not yet have an official name, “between October and early next year”. HomePod mini and Apple TV are primarily expected to be spec updates: new chips in devices with the internal codenames B525 and J265 will then enable Siri AI. Apple recently inexplicably increased the prices for the old devices. Accordingly, the new ones are likely to be similarly expensive; for example, you can now pay up to 300 Euros for Apple TV devices.
Details about the Home Hub
The Home Hub will reportedly come in two variants: as an iPad-like screen for the wall (J491) with a magnetic mount, and as a model with a base station (J490), which apparently contains a speaker. The latter is said to look like half a HomePod mini. Apple plans various apps on the Home Hub, but apparently no own app store. In addition to HomeKit control, camera views will be displayed, there will be an intercom function for apartments with multiple home devices, and FaceTime video conferences. The system is said to include facial recognition to identify who is in front of it and then personalize the interface accordingly.
Widgets and a grid view of apps are also included. The interface is said to be a combination of watchOS (including watch faces) and iOS. An iPhone app will assist with setup. Apple has postponed the Home Hub several times and is reportedly also planning a robotic variant that can rotate to interact with people. The screen is not very large at 7 inches; the robotic variant, whose release date is not yet fixed, is said to have 9 inches.
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