According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the new Apple smart home hub, which some refer to as ‘Apple command center’ or simply ‘HomePad’, might ship a little bit later than anticipated.

Home hub recap

Apple has been working on a new device for your smart home for a decent while, and the company is expected to launch it this spring, particularly in March. As a refresher, here’s what we’re expecting with the product:

• 7-inch square display with thick bezel
• Camera at the top
• Rechargeable built in battery
• A new Apple operating system: homeOS
• Heavy focus on video applications like FaceTime
• Support for many Apple apps
• StandBy-inspired dashboard
• Easy ability to control your smart home
• Apple Intelligence support

Gurman also says you’ll be able to “hang it on a wall or place it on a countertop — perhaps in a few spots around the home.”

Possible delay

Despite many rumors circulating for such a long time, it did sound like Apple was getting really close to finally releasing this thing. However, because of many of the Apple Intelligence delays, it might take a little bit longer to hit the market, according to Gurman:

• Apple has been planning to introduce the home hub in March, but it may take longer to reach consumers. The device’s new operating system — code-named Pebble — is heavily tied to App Intents features coming in iOS 18.4 and iOS 19, so it’s plausible that the hardware itself will ship a bit later. 

Even though Apple is launching the hardware later, it still sounds like we’re set to see an unveiling in the coming months. It’s a little unfortunate that there’ll be a release delay, but it makes sense given this products heavy reliance on Apple Intelligence.

Gurman also reiterates that Apple is planning to launch ‘LLM Siri’, a more conversational chatbot-like assistant, in iOS 19.4 – which will launch in spring 2026. Apple is also preparing its own lineup of smart home accessories, starting with a Face ID-powered doorbell and a more private security camera.

Source: 9to5mac