Apple to Launch Three Smart Home Devices on Oct. 13, Led by Screen-Equipped Hub

Apple (AAPL) plans to unveil three smart home products on Oct. 13, including its first screen-equipped home hub, a new HomePod mini and an updated Apple TV, Bloomberg reported Sept. 30, citing people familiar with the matter. The devices will be tied together by a new Siri AI. Apple declined to comment. The hub, codenamed J490, features a roughly 6-inch square display in desktop and wall-mounted versions, a front-facing FaceTime camera and USB-C power. It identifies household members by voice and face to serve personalized content, with a guest mode for privacy. The new HomePod mini and Apple TV retain their designs but gain upgraded processors for Siri's larger AI models; the HomePod mini adds green and pink. It marks the first refresh since 2020 and 2022, respectively. The launch is an early test for CEO John Ternus, who took over Sept. 1, as Apple seeks to close a smart home gap with Amazon (AMZN) and Alphabet's Google (GOOGL).