Apple’s new smart home hub might launch later than anticipated – 9to5Mac

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.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: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.”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.What do you think of Apple’s rumored smart home hardware ecosystem? Let us know in the comments.My favorite iPhone accessories on Amazon:Follow Michael: X/Twitter, Bluesky, InstagramFTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:HomeKit is Apple’s home automation framework tha…Michael is 9to5Mac’s Weekend Editor, keeping up with all of the latest Apple news on Saturday and Sunday. He got started in the world of Apple news during the pandemic, and it became a growing hobby. He’s also an indie iOS developer in his free time, and has published numerous apps over the years.Manage push notifications

Source: https://9to5mac.com/2025/01/12/apple-homepad-home-hub-possible-delay/