Apple’s smart home product rollout will stretch well beyond this year, with the HomePad hub targeting a fall 2026 debut, a security sensor and camera arriving later in the year, and the tabletop robot now at risk of sliding from 2027 into 2028. The scope of what Apple is building covers hardware, a new operating system layer, and a rebuilt Siri that ties all of it together.
The HomePad has already missed two launch windows. Apple originally planned a spring 2025 debut, then shifted to spring 2026 tied to iOS 26.4, before pushing again to September. Each time, the reason has been the same: the new LLM-based Siri is not ready. That timeline now hinges on Apple’s next-generation Siri AI, which is expected to launch with iOS 27 this fall after multiple delays.
What the HomePad actually is
The device features a 7-inch square display and an A18 chip, and it comes in 2 configurations: a wall-mountable version and a tabletop model with a speaker base. There is a built-in camera for facial recognition, which lets the hub detect who is in the room and surface content relevant to that person, including Calendar events, Reminders, and FaceTime. Apple is pricing it at around $350.
On the software side, it is reported the device will run a version of tvOS 27 with homeOS-style features. Apple has been trademarking “homeOS” in multiple countries through a shell company, with the trademark secured in Liechtenstein and filings pending in the U.S., Argentina, Peru, and others. There is no dedicated App Store planned; the hub ships with pre-installed Apple apps only, which positions it closer to a dedicated home appliance than to an iPad.
The rest of the hardware lineup
The HomePad is not the only new home product in the pipeline. Apple has several devices in development across the full roadmap:
- HomePod mini 2: Updated S-series chip based on Apple Watch Series 10, Bluetooth 5.3, second-gen Ultra Wideband chip, improved audio. Price expected to stay at $99.
- Full-size HomePod: Updated model supporting the revamped Siri, also expected in 2026.
- Apple TV 4K (next-gen): A17 Pro chip, Apple-designed N1 Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, Apple Intelligence. No design changes. Expected fall 2026.
- Smart Home Security Sensor/Camera (codename J450): Wireless, battery-powered, with facial recognition and infrared sensors. Functions as both a HomeKit camera and a sensor. Expected late 2026.
- Face ID Video Doorbell: Rumored for 2026, designed to integrate with smart locks.
- Tabletop Robot: 9-inch iPad-like display on a thin robotic arm with 360-degree rotation. Originally targeted for 2027, now at risk of slipping to 2028.
All of these products are being manufactured in Vietnam by BYD, not in China where most first-generation Apple hardware is produced. Apple has not previously concentrated an entire product category’s manufacturing in Vietnam to this degree.
Why Siri matters so much
The new Siri announced at WWDC 2026 is a ground-up rebuild that, for the first time, ships as a standalone app. It can search the web, evaluate documents, solve math problems, and take action across apps. Apple also announced complementary Home app features at the same event, including AI-generated text descriptions of HomeKit Secure Video clips and smarter grouping of accessory notifications, both powered by Apple Intelligence. Users will be able to search recorded footage for specific events, such as a package delivery, without watching clips individually.
The tabletop robot, described as a home command center capable of FaceTime calls and home security monitoring, is the product most exposed to schedule pressure. At present, 2027 is shaping up to be Apple’s biggest product year ever, but a robot delay to 2028 would undercut that considerably. How much of that pressure eases depends on whether the Siri delays are finally resolved this fall.
(via Bloomberg)
