Apple HomePad is coming: What to expect from the October 13 launch

Apple is reportedly planning to unveil three new devices on October 13 as part of its push into the smart-home market. According to Bloomberg, as reported by Reuters, the lineup will include a new smart-home hub, an updated HomePod mini and a new Apple TV.

The biggest addition is the long-awaited smart-home hub, reportedly code-named J490 and referred to as the HomePad. The device is expected to feature a roughly 6-inch square display and could be used either on a countertop or mounted on a wall. Its reported design is said to combine a display and speaker in a single device for controlling smart-home functions.

The HomePad is also expected to offer personalised features for different members of a household. Reports suggest it could use facial and voice recognition to identify users and display information such as contacts, messages, calendars, notes and preferred apps. A visitor mode is reportedly being developed to prevent guests from accessing personal information.

Apple is also expected to introduce the first major update to the HomePod mini since its launch in 2020. The refreshed speaker is reportedly set to retain the existing design but receive a faster chip to support Apple's more advanced Siri AI features. New colour options, including pink and green, are also reportedly being considered.

The third product is a new Apple TV. It is expected to keep the current design while receiving a faster processor designed to support Apple's upgraded Siri capabilities. The device would mark Apple's first new Apple TV set-top box since 2022.

Why Siri AI matters

Apple's revamped Siri appears to be a key part of the company's smart-home strategy. The new devices are reportedly being designed to provide users with physical ways to interact with the more capable AI assistant around the home.

Apple unveiled a delayed overhaul of Siri in June as part of its broader artificial intelligence strategy. The company has been working to bring more advanced AI functions into its existing products and services.

Apple's broader smart-home plans

Apple's smart-home ambitions reportedly extend beyond the three products expected in October. The company is also said to be developing a privacy-focused security camera and a sensor capable of determining which room a person is in without recording video.

A more advanced smart-home hub is reportedly also in development. That device could feature a larger, roughly 9-inch display mounted on a robotic arm capable of swivelling 360 degrees. Apple is also reportedly working on a future update to its larger HomePod.

The reported October launch would represent a broader expansion of Apple's smart-home hardware portfolio after several years without major updates to some of its home products. The HomePod mini has not received a major hardware refresh since 2020, while the Apple TV's last new set-top box arrived in 2022.

The reported strategy also links Apple's hardware ambitions with its efforts to make Siri more capable through AI. If the reported products launch as described, the HomePad would give Apple a dedicated home-control device alongside its existing HomePod and Apple TV ecosystem.

However, Apple has not officially confirmed the October 13 launch or the reported specifications of the devices. Reuters said Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.