Apple’s “Welcome home” event lands on Tuesday, October 13, and the invitation points squarely at the smart home. The headliner is expected to be the “HomePad,” 9to5Mac’s name for a long-rumored smart display. Apple hasn’t confirmed any product, so everything below is rumor.
What’s confirmed and what isn’t
Apple has only announced the date and the tagline, which it did on October 8. No start time has been given. 9to5Mac expects press releases and video around 9 a.m. ET, and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says the format mixes an in-person press event in New York City with an online video presentation.
Everything else comes from reports and leaks.
The HomePad smart display
According to Bloomberg, the HomePad would have a 6-inch square screen on a half-dome base with a metal arm, in wall-mount and countertop versions. The design reportedly echoes the old iMac G4. Engadget adds that it would run a tvOS-based “homeOS” with touch controls and iPad-style apps.
Gurman reports that it would recognize different people in the house, tell who is talking to it or walking up, and adjust the screen to match. Bloomberg says that works without Face ID.
9to5Mac’s wish list comes down to three features:
- Digital picture frame: a Photos face that cycles through pictures from your Apple Photos library with no manual syncing.
- Lyrics in Apple Music: song lyrics on screen while music plays.
- Siri AI with visual answers: the new Siri, already on iPhone, showing visuals in its responses.
New Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini
Bloomberg also expects a new Apple TV 4K with at least an A19 chip and a slightly redesigned remote. It would be the first hardware update since November 2022, and 9to5Mac says it would bring Siri AI and Apple Intelligence to Apple TV for the first time.
MacRumors reports a new HomePod mini with a newer chip to run Siri AI, in green, pink, blue, black and white. There are also reports of HomePod surround sound support, including a setup with four HomePods and an Apple TV.
LG-made accessories
Bloomberg says Apple worked with LG on a smart lock, doorbell, thermostat and cameras that LG would make, sell and support. They aren’t expected to ship for at least a few months, though they could still show up at the event. We covered the details in our rundown of the Apple and LG smart home gear. A leak on X also points to Schneider Electric offering a thermostat and a temperature and humidity sensor at launch.
Apple-branded privacy-focused cameras, meanwhile, may not carry the Apple name, per Bloomberg.
Price and availability
None of the reports mention pricing or on-sale dates for any product. If you’re building a connected home in the meantime, the Matter standard is still the safest bet for gear that works across brands.
