Apple is expected to unveil the HomeView smart home hub, a HomePod mini 2, and an updated Apple TV 4K during its "Welcome home" launch today. The devices will likely be announced through press releases on the Apple Newsroom website around 9 a.m. Eastern Time, when Apple's private "Welcome home" experience in New York begins. Invited reporters and content creators will likely get hands-on time with the devices, and guests have already been posting photos from Apple's New York space.
The new HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K are reportedly launching on Friday, October 30, while the HomeView is not expected until mid-November. The all-new HomeView will come in a tabletop version with a metal speaker base and a wall-mounted version with a flat, square wall plate. It is designed to manage smart home accessories, home security, photo galleries, calendar appointments, music playback, and FaceTime video calls, with multi-user support for families. The hub reportedly has a 6-inch square display and an A18 chip for Apple Intelligence, with Siri AI expected to be a tentpole feature. A new operating system, potentially named "homeOS," will add clock faces and widgets.
HomeView will be offered in four finishes: Gray, Silver, Starlight, and Rose, while the wall-mounted version will be limited to Gray and Silver. It will include Apple's own apps but no App Store for third-party software. It will also be accompanied by an "Apple Home Collection" of accessories developed with brands such as LG and Schneider Electric, including a smart doorbell, deadbolt lock, thermostat, temperature sensor, security cameras, and a floodlight camera.
The new HomePod mini is rumored to use the S10 chip from the Apple Watch Series 10, up from the S5 in the 2020 model, and to come in new colors including pink and green. The updated Apple TV 4K is rumored to feature an A19 chip, Siri AI support, an Apple-designed N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7, and a redesigned Siri Remote with a built-in speaker that makes it easier to find.
Source: MacRumors · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing