Apple to launch smart-home hub, updated HomePod mini and Apple TV on October 13: Report

Apple plans to make its longdelayed push into the smarthome market on October 13 as per the reports With the introduction of their latest smart home in September Apple will mark a critical product expansion for the company under new Chief Executive Officer John TernusAt the center of the strategy is a smarthome hub codenamed J490 according to people familiar with the matter As per the media report the US tech giant also plans to announce the first update to the HomePod mini since that devicersquos 2020 debut and its first new TV settop box since 2022Apple seeks it as a lucrative opportunityThe company believes that the smart home is a lucrative opportunitymdashone of Applersquos famous ldquonext big thingsrdquomdashbut the tech giant has previously struggled to make much of a dent in the category trailing behind Amazon and GoogleApplersquos Home HubAs per the report from Bloomberg the home hub will take the form of a roughly 6inch square display with versions that can be mounted on a wall or placed on a countertop according to the people who asked not to be identified because the products havenrsquot been announcedThe new HomePod mini will also come in fresh colors including green and pink Apple aims to eventually update its larger HomePod speaker as well However a spokesperson for Cupertino Californiabased Apple declined to comment while talking to BloombergA more interactive outputThe hubrsquos defining feature will be its ability to serve multiple members of a household It is designed to recognize who is speaking to it or approaching it and then display personalized content and provide answers based on that personrsquos data and accountsWhen a user walks up for example the device will show that personrsquos contacts messages calendar appointments notes and preferred app layout The interface can then change automatically when another recognized household member approaches It will also have a mode for visitors that hides personal information as per BloombergThe device identifies users by their voices or through a facialrecognition system though the latter is less reliable than Face ID on the iPhoneApple smart home will now offer a FaceTime cameraUsers can require secondary authentication through an iPhone if they donrsquot want to rely solely on voice or facial recognition The iPhone also serves as a fallback when the hub cannot identify someone correctlyAs per Bloomberg the company also sees the device as a communications and information hub for the kitchen where users could look up recipes with their voice watch videos or make FaceTime calls while preparing foodBecause the device is intended to remain stationary it has a single FaceTime camera on the front and no rear camera The product has microphones and speakers in its connected baseDesignThe product comes in Applersquos standard gray aluminum finish and includes a USBC port for power The screen sits above a metal round base with multiple rings of perforated speaker holes and connects to it through a polished metal arm Users can manually tilt the display forward or backward And the base has a rubberized bottom to help it stay on a tableThe interface is built heavily around photo slideshows and clock displays similar to the new StandBy Mode on the upcoming iPhone Duo foldable phone One clock resembles a lava lamp with an overlay of the time that shows the hour in digital form with minutes listed below Users can then swipe up from the clock screen or photos to open the app launcherApple is including many of its most frequently used apps including Calendar Messages Photos FaceTime Notes Reminders Music and Podcasts Users can choose a wallpaper and rearrange apps and widgets by pressing and holding them much as they would on an iPhoneApple pushingbroader smarthome ecosystemIndividual apps also borrow from the iPad Messages for example uses a twopanel layout When users touch a thread in their list of conversations a second pane opens up to show the conversation That interface carries over to many of the other preinstalled appsAlongside the hardware Apple is developing a broader smarthome ecosystem that expands on HomeKit software and supports new categories of connected products The company is working with thirdparty manufacturers on new devices designed for the Siri AI home platform