Apple "Welcome Home" Event Set for October 13

Apple has announced a special event for Tuesday, October 13, and the tagline is “Welcome home.” The wording lines up with the smart home products Apple is expected to launch next week.

Greg Joswiak shared the teaser video on X today and invites went out to press at the same time.

Apple Welcome Home Event October 13

The Welcome Home Event Starts at 9 a.m. ET in Tribeca on October 13

The invite is for a special “Apple experience” in Tribeca, New York, starting at 9:00 a.m. ET. Apple has not named any products.

For readers in the US, the start time works out like this on October 13.

Time zone	Start time
Eastern	9:00 a.m.
Central	8:00 a.m.
Mountain	7:00 a.m.
Pacific	6:00 a.m.

Apple Stores have been getting ready as well. Stores around the world received sealed boxes marked “Do Not Open Until October 8”, which are believed to hold new displays for the launch.

Three Home Products Are Expected, Led by the HomePad

Apple has not confirmed what it will show, but earlier reports point to three products built around Siri AI. Siri AI arrived with iOS 27 in September, and Apple reportedly held its smart home hub back until the software was ready. HomePad is the name used in those reports, and Apple has not confirmed it.

Product	What to expect
HomePad	A small square display with a front camera, a new operating system built around Siri AI, and countertop and wall-mounted versions. Earlier reports point to a price of around $350.
Apple TV 4K	The same exterior as the current model, a much faster chip than the A15 Bionic, more memory than the current 4GB, Wi-Fi 7 through Apple’s N1 chip and a revised Siri Remote.
HomePod mini 2	The same spherical design, a newer chip than the S5, Siri AI support and five colors in Apple’s code: green, pink, blue, white and black.

Apple has not confirmed pricing for any of the three. The current Apple TV 4K now starts at $199 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model and $249 for the 128GB Wi-Fi + Ethernet model after Apple raised prices in June. The HomePod mini sells for $129.

The full-size HomePod is not expected on October 13. It has not been updated since 2023, and Apple reportedly plans to release a version with Siri AI later.

The Event Lands Exactly Six Years After Apple Announced the Original HomePod mini

Apple announced the original HomePod mini on October 13, 2020. That speaker launched at $99, and Apple later raised the price to $129.

The home launch also sits in the middle of a crowded month for Apple, which is reportedly planning more launches for the last week of October. Here is how the dates line up: