Apple Might Delay Its Rumored New Smart Home Hub Until Next Year

Apple’s rumored new smart home hub command center that was expected this year could be delayed, pushing its release all the way to 2026, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.



In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman revealed that Apple is “considering a delay until 2026” for the new smart home device. The main reason for the potential postponement is reportedly tied to “major engineering hiccups” with the revamped Siri voice assistant that will power the device.

Initially, Apple had hoped to release the product by now, and there were reports suggesting it might still arrive around the time of this year’s iPhone 17 series launch in September. Now, those plans appear to be in jeopardy.

“The major engineering hiccups related to the revamped Siri voice assistant ended up delaying the product,” Gurman wrote. “No big surprise there: The device will be primarily controlled by voice, and it depends on Siri and the underlying App Intents technology.”

Despite the delay, testing of the device – code-named J490 – continues at Apple headquarters. A large number of employees are also reportedly testing the hub in their homes.

Gurman compared the upcoming product to the Google Nest Hub, suggesting it won’t “make a big difference in terms of revenue” for Apple. However, he noted that it could set the stage for more ambitious products in the future.

One such future product, code-named J595, is already in development. According to Gurman, this follow-up device will add “an AI personality, additional sensors and a robotic arm that can maneuver the screen above your desk, kitchen counter or nightstand.”

The delay of Apple’s smart home hub ties in with the company’s recent announcement that it needs more time to develop the promised more personalized version of Siri, which was previewed at WWDC 2024 last June. Apple stated these features would arrive “in the coming year,” suggesting they won’t be ready until sometime between iOS 19 in September 2025 and iOS 19.4 in March 2026.

Tag: Mark Gurman

This article, "Apple Might Delay Its Rumored New Smart Home Hub Until Next Year" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Planning ‘Bold’ New 20th Anniversary Design for 2027 iPhone Pro

Apple is preparing a “major shake-up” for the iPhone’s 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.

iPhone X released in 2017 for 10th anniversary

Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that Apple plans to launch a foldable iPhone alongside a “bold” new iPhone Pro model that makes more extensive use of glass.

Could this mean Apple plans to realize former design chief Jony Ive’s dream of making an iPhone made entirely of a single plane of glass? That much isn’t known, but if Apple plans to unveil something as dramatic as the iPhone X, launched in 2017 for the iPhone’s 10th anniversary, then it will have to have something pretty special in the works.

For the iPhone X, Apple famously dropped the Home button in favor of an entirely touch-based interface system, and replaced the Touch ID fingerprint sensor with Face ID facial authentication.

As for the model number that Apple will choose to use for its 20th anniversary iPhone, it’s hard to say. Apple’s naming conventions have varied over the years. If Apple continues its annual release pattern and numerical naming, the 2027 lineup would likely be the iPhone 18 series.

However, Apple has previously adjusted its naming to commemorate significant milestones, such as skipping from iPhone 8 to iPhone X for the 10th anniversary. So it’s possible that Apple might introduce an “iPhone 20” or adopt a different naming convention to celebrate the 20th anniversary. We’ll have to wait and see.

Gurman has previously said he expects Apple’s first book-style foldable iPhone to be released next year, so presumably the “foldable version” coming in 2027 will be either a second iteration of that model, or a completely different version, perhaps utilizing a clam-shell design.

Tag: Mark Gurman

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