Apple is about to launch products in two categories it has never sold before, within weeks of each other. The iPhone Duo, Apple’s first foldable iPhone, was announced on September 9 and goes on sale October 23. The smart home hub is expected to be announced on October 13, three days before iPhone Duo pre-orders open.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that the hub, code-named J490, is expected to launch alongside a new HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K. Gurman frames the smart home as Apple’s next big category and a critical expansion under CEO John Ternus. Apple has not confirmed the date or any of the hardware.
Apple Vision Pro Was the Last Time Apple Opened a New Product Category
Apple Vision Pro went on sale in 2024 at $3,499, and nothing Apple has released since has opened a new category. That includes the headset’s M5 refresh in October 2025. The price and the weight kept it a niche product, and the next headset is not expected until late 2028 or early 2029.
Apple is putting more effort into smart glasses that could reach the market years before a new headset. That leaves a gap of more than two and a half years between Apple Vision Pro and the iPhone Duo. Here is how the three launches line up:
- Apple Vision Pro: released in 2024, starts at $3,499
- iPhone Duo: announced September 9, pre-orders October 16, on sale October 23, starts at $1,999
- Smart home hub: expected October 13, with earlier reports pointing to around $350
The iPhone Duo has a 5.4-inch outer display, a 7.6-inch inner display and Apple Pencil support. Whether a foldable counts as a new category is a fair debate, since Apple sells the iPhone Duo as part of the iPhone line.
The Smart Home Hub Gives Apple Its First Home Product With Its Own Screen
The hub pairs a 6-inch square display with a half-dome base and a metal arm, a layout that borrows from the iMac G4. It has a speaker, a front-facing camera for FaceTime and a new operating system built around Siri AI.
Apple held the hub back until Siri AI was ready, and Siri AI is now rolling out in beta with iOS 27. The hub is already being tested in employees’ homes, and Apple’s retail redesign adds accessory bays for new home products.
Apple already sells home products, and two of them are due for updates. The HomePod mini has not changed since 2020, and the Apple TV has not had a new box since 2022. The new HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K are expected on the same day with faster chips for Siri AI, and the HomePod mini is also getting new colors, including pink and green.
Bloomberg also reports that Apple is working on a higher-end hub with a 9-inch display on a robotic arm that swivels 360 degrees. A privacy-focused home security camera and sensor is in development, and the full-size HomePod is due for an update at a later date.
Our Take
A $1,999 iPhone Duo replaces a phone people already carry, so the daily habit is already there. A home hub needs a spot on the counter or the wall, and earlier reports put the price near $350, well above the Echo Show displays that start under $200. Siri AI is what Apple is counting on to justify that gap, but it seems easier said than done, considering that Apple is coming into a market which has cheaper alternatives from the likes of Google and Amazon.
