Apple may have secretly filed for a “HomeView” trademark last year. The name could belong to the smart home hub Apple is expected to unveil on Tuesday, October 13.
A shell company named Home Services LLC filed the HomeView application in the US and several other countries, as MacRumors lays out. Another shell company, Home Operations Suite LLC, filed for a “homeOS” trademark around the same time, and it may also be linked to Apple. Apple has not confirmed a connection to either company.
The timing lines up with the Welcome home event, where Apple is expected to show a new smart home hub with an all-new operating system. If the filings are Apple’s, HomeView could be the name of the hub and homeOS could be the software that runs it.
Apple Has a Track Record of Filing Product Names Through Shell Companies
Apple has used shell companies to file trademarks for unannounced hardware and software before. Ahead of Apple Vision Pro, a shell company later tied to Apple filed for “visionOS,” and that became the name of the headset’s operating system. Earlier, realityOS filings had pointed to a different name.
Apple also held a trademark for “xrOS,” which it dropped in favor of visionOS. That history means a trademark filing is a clue about what Apple considered, and the final name can still change.
The Smart Home Hub Has Several Possible Names and HomeView Is One of Them
Apple has not said what the hub will be called. Reports have used “HomePad” because the device is expected to be a cross between a HomePod and an iPad. Our Apple smart home hub guide collects what is known so far, and earlier reports point to a price of around $350.
These are the names people are guessing at:
- HomeView comes from the new trademark filing.
- HomePad comes from the HomePod and iPad mix.
- Apple Home is possible, although Apple already has an Apple Home app.
- HomePod Pro would place the hub inside the HomePod family.
Apple Home would not be the first name to cover several products. The company already sells an Apple TV 4K box, offers an Apple TV app and runs an Apple TV streaming service, so a shared name is not out of the question.
Apple is also expected to show a refreshed Apple TV 4K and the HomePod mini 2 at the same event. The Welcome home experience starts at 9:00 a.m. ET in Tribeca on Tuesday, October 13, which is 6:00 a.m. Pacific.
