File image: Apple
Apple had wanted to ship the hub as far back as 2024 and held it until the assistant caught up, which only happened this month with iOS 27. The launch would be the first significant hardware moment of John Ternus ‘s time as chief executive. At Apple’s September keynote, Ternus made the case that the ideal AI device already exists in the iPhone, but he left room for a second screen that lives at home. This is that screen. The screen is roughly square and comes in two versions. One sits on a stand that looks like a HomePod mini chopped in half, and the other attaches to a wall. Power On compares it to an Amazon Echo Show with a considerably smaller display. It runs a new operating system that reads like a mashup of iOS, tvOS and watchOS, with its own home screen, widgets and clock faces. Facial recognition is the selling point. The camera works out who is looking at it and rearranges what appears, from calendar entries and notes to news, music and podcasts. Mark Gurman writes that this matters beyond the living room, since it suggests Apple could eventually bring face unlock to the iPhone Duo, which currently relies on Touch ID. Siri handles the rest. On the display, Siri AI is meant to search across devices and accounts, pull up a podcast someone sent months ago, or run tasks in Notes, Reminders and Calendar.
Apple’s Smart Home Display Set for Release with Advanced Recognition Feature
Apple’s long-awaited smart home display, internally referred to as J490, is expected to launch as soon as next month. Notably, this device will feature a front camera capable of recognizing users without the depth-sensing technology typically associated with Face ID. According to Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter, extensive testing of the device is currently taking place in the homes of Apple employees.