Apple considered adding a camera and advanced sensors to the original HomePod years before the upcoming 'HomePad' device, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The company explored these features around 2017 but ultimately scrapped them due to development costs, as revealed in a detailed profile of Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus.

Ternus was initially reluctant to heavily invest in smart home devices when Amazon and Google launched their leading products a decade ago. This cautious approach, he reportedly acknowledged, contributed to Apple falling behind in the smart home category. The hardware chief now leads Apple's renewed push to re-establish itself in this market.

Ternus is overseeing development of three new products: an AI-powered smart home hub with facial recognition (J490), a security sensor (J450), and a robotic device (J595). The smart home hub, expected to launch in fall 2026, represents Apple's most ambitious smart home effort to date, marking a significant shift from the company's earlier conservative strategy.