What to know now Apple is preparing a 6 to 7 inch smart home display that mounts on a wall or sits on a table, pairs tightly with HomePod, and runs a widget first homeOS interface. Reporting points to a spring 2026 debut alongside a major Siri upgrade powered by Apple Intelligence and Private Cloud Compute. Think of it as a central command screen for HomeKit and Matter devices.

• Two hardware styles are expected, a wall hub and a tabletop model, sharing the same screen, camera and speakers.
• Interface centers on glanceable widgets rather than full apps, with presence aware personal views.
• Launch reportedly targets spring 2026 with upgraded Siri that taps large language models and on device plus Private Cloud Compute processing.

Apple’s wall mounted smart display signals a real reset for HomeKit

Is Apple finally entering the smart display market

Yes, and it is a big deal for the company’s home strategy. After years of letting Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub define the category, Apple is readying a dedicated smart home hub built around a small square display that ties together HomePod, the Home app and the broader Apple ecosystem. Apple’s own Newsroom cadence has been hinting at this shift, moving from small HomePod tweaks to a platform level approach.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has repeatedly described the device, and that reporting lines up with Apple’s public emphasis on convenience and connection in the home. As Apple put it in a June 2024 update, the goal is to make everyday life feel simpler. A purpose built hub fits that story.

If you want the wider software context, we break down the company’s AI shift in our feature on how Apple’s new AI stack is reshaping app experiences.

What will the hardware look like

Two versions are in development according to multiple reports from Bloomberg, MacRumors and 9to5Mac. One model mounts flush to a wall much like a modern security panel. The other sits on a counter or desk with a compact stand. Both share a roughly 6 to 7 inch square screen described as about the size of two iPhones side by side, with black or silver finishes and slightly thicker bezels.

Expect a front camera for FaceTime, integrated speakers that behave like a HomePod for music, and a built in battery for brief unplugged use. Outlets such as GadgetHacks have also noted that it should act as another node alongside HomePod and Apple TV rather than a replacement for either.

If you are already building out that ecosystem, you can browse current Apple hardware like HomePod, Apple TV 4K and iPad through this curated Amazon selection while you wait.

Recommended tech

The TechBull recommends an affordable short throw projector if you are turning your living room into a screen centric smart space. For a large picture to complement Apple’s upcoming home display, check out this budget friendly smart projector on AliExpress. It will not replace the hub, but it pairs nicely with a streaming box or Apple TV for movies and dashboards.

Why wait until 2026

Apple could have slapped an iPad on a stand years ago. Instead, it waited for a ground up Siri overhaul to land. Craig Federighi has framed this as an end to end revamp, and that lines up with the company’s Apple Intelligence initiative and its Private Cloud Compute approach for processing requests that are too heavy for local hardware.

Recent reporting from MacRumors on upcoming software releases points to deeper personal context, better on screen awareness and direct per app actions. In other words, the assistant finally understands more of your world and can do more with it. The smart display is expected to ship as those upgrades arrive, putting the new Siri at the literal center of the home. For a tougher read on whether the timing is late, see our analysis on Apple’s Siri intelligence revolution.

How will it know who is in front of it

Presence awareness is a core design idea here. Sensors and the front camera are expected to handle proximity and identity so the display can stay calm when no one is near then wake into a personal view as someone approaches. Multi user support should drive different Home scenes, reminders and media picks for each family member, consistent with the shared homes and permissions already in the Home app.

What software does it run

Under the hood, the hub is rumored to run a flavor of homeOS that borrows from tvOS, watchOS and the iPhone’s StandBy mode. Rather than a full App Store, expect a widget first layout with tiles for essentials such as Home, Apple Music, Calendar, Notes, Photos slideshows and even light surfaces for Safari or Apple News. Apple has been previewing this direction with the revamped Control Center on Apple TV and the widget centric designs highlighted on its OS features pages.

Widgets will likely shift with time of day and user presence. Morning views could prioritize commute, weather and kitchen controls. Evenings can lean into lighting and media. You can get a feel for that flow today by exploring scenes and automations in Apple’s Home accessories catalog.

Will it play nicely with Matter accessories

That is the idea. Matter support is already baked into Apple platforms, and Apple documents setup in its official guide on how to pair and manage Matter accessories. The latest Matter roadmap adds native camera support across the standard, widening the pool of locks, lights, sensors and cameras that can appear on this display without extra bridges. Rollout is staged across 2025 and 2026 as vendors update firmware.

On networking, leaks point to Apple using an N series wireless chip that combines next gen Wi Fi, Bluetooth and Thread so the display can act as a Thread border router and a local Matter controller. Translation. Faster, more reliable automations with less reliance on third party clouds. Apple’s security model for HomeKit, which centers on end to end encryption and clear permissions, is expected to carry over to the hub’s role as a controller.

How does the timing stack up against Amazon and Google

A spring 2026 window, repeatedly cited by Bloomberg and MacRumors, would drop Apple into a quieter competitive landscape. Google has slowed big Nest Hub updates and retired some older devices. Amazon has pressed on price with Echo Show and is reworking Alexa for a more ambient future. We covered that shift in Alexa’s new everywhere strategy.

Analysts expect Apple to price the hub around 350 dollars. That is premium in a category that often dips under 200, but Apple is betting that better audio, a cleaner UI and tight ties to iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV will make the case.

What else is Apple building for the home

Multiple reports point to a separate indoor camera project targeting late 2026 that plugs directly into HomeKit and, eventually, into this display’s interface. If that lands as described, Apple would own more of the stack end to end from cameras and speakers to the wall controller.

For a broader look at how this fits into the company’s hardware plans, check our roundup of Apple’s most future ready gadgets heading into 2026.

Why this hub matters for Apple’s home future

This is more than another screen. It is a clear signal that Apple now treats the home as a first class platform. A purpose built 6 inch class display with presence awareness, HomePod level audio, Matter and Thread support and a smarter Siri creates a simple command center for households already deep in Apple’s world.

There is still plenty Apple has not confirmed in public. Even so, what we see in official materials such as the evolving Home app and Apple’s support notes on Matter line up with veteran reporters’ sourcing. If Apple hits the spring 2026 target, the wall hub arrives just as Siri grows up, which might be the point. Not just a new screen for your wall, but a moment where Apple’s smart home finally feels like one coherent system.

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