Apple's long-rumored smart home hub will feature an iMac G4-style design and a host of unique features, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. The hub has a square 6-inch display with countertop or wall-mount variants. A single FaceTime camera sits on the front with microphones and speakers in the connected base. The device is about as thick as an iPhone with a quarter-inch black bezel, rounded corners, and no sharp edges. It lacks a battery, so it must remain plugged in via USB-C. The standard version resembles the 2002 iMac G4 with a large display on a half-dome base. A second version, code-named J491, is designed for wall mounting with a thin square base housing speakers and microphones.

Apple envisions customers placing several devices throughout their homes to control smart home devices, make video calls, play audio, and view photo slideshows. The hub serves as a kitchen information center for watching videos and looking up recipes via voice commands. It can recognize who is speaking or approaching and display personalized content accordingly, with a visitor mode that hides personal information.

User identification uses voice or facial recognition, though facial recognition is less reliable than Face ID. An iPhone serves as a fallback authentication method. In dark rooms, a Mac-style Edge Light illuminates the area around the screen to help the camera recognize users. The interface blends elements from Apple Watch, Apple TV, and iPad with Siri AI featuring a dark visual style. The UI emphasizes slideshows and clock displays similar to iPhone Duo's StandBy Mode.