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iOS 18.6 Beta Code Includes Reference to Apple's Rumored Home Hub

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Apple is rumored to be working on an all-new smart home hub, and an alleged reference to the device has been discovered in the iOS 18.6 beta.

HomePod With Screen Feature
9to5Mac today reported that iOS 18.6's code includes a new "apple-logo-1088@2x~home.png" image asset. According to the report, the "~home" suffix indicates that the image asset is intended to be limited to Apple's rumored homeOS operating system for the home hub, which is expected to have a square iPad-like screen.

If the report is accurate about the image asset, it serves as further proof that Apple is continuing to work on the home hub's software.

Apple's smart home hub is rumored to feature a 6-inch or 7-inch display, and the A18 chip from iPhone 16 models. The device can reportedly be attached to a speaker base, or mounted on a wall, and it would allow users to control smart home accessories, make FaceTime video calls, use Apple's intercom feature between rooms in a house, and more. It might even double as a home security system with an Apple-designed camera.

While recent homeOS trademark activity that might be connected to Apple fueled hopes that the company would provide an early preview of the home hub at its WWDC 2025 developer conference last week, that did not end up happening.

Apple originally planned to unveil the home hub in March 2025, but the device's launch was reportedly postponed as a result of Apple delaying its personalized Siri features. The device is unlikely to launch until those features are ready.

In March, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that a HomePod with a screen would enter mass production in the third quarter of 2025. Kuo is likely referring to the rumored home hub, and if his timeframe remains accurate, then the device could still be announced at some point later this year. A launch is expected by next year at the latest.

Tags: Apple Command Center Guide, Mark Gurman
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

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Top Rated Comments

TechRunner Avatar
TechRunner
14 months ago
I hope Apple's actual device is a bit more elegant than the square-on-a-blob thing the render has going on.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spock Avatar
Spock
14 months ago

Why in 2025 would anyone be interested in a home control app that wasn’t in my pocket at all times. Unless…. The plan is to offer a SUBSCRIPTION based app access “on the go”. So apple
It is nice to have weather, clock, calendar activities and camera access at a glance. Not everyone walks around with a phone in their hand. I have a few Echo devices and when someone rings my doorbell the camera feed shows up on the screen. I don't have to pull out my iPhone and launch an app to see my door. I enjoy it enough to allow Amazon to have devices like that in my home, I would much rather have an Apple device and pay a subscription fee and lose the Amazon devices.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C
ChrisA
14 months ago

i really don’t understand the point of this device. aren’t we all already carrying around an iphone plenty capable of controlling our smart home accessories, making facetime calls, and more?
About the only differences with Siri on HomePod and Siri on iPhone is (1) if you say "Siri, lights-out". This works on the HomePod because the HomePod "knows" which room it is in. So the bedroom HomePod only turns off the bedroom lights. With my iPhone, I have to say, "Siri, turn off the bedroom lights"

And (2), Siri in the HomePod is a shared device, so it knows who is speaking. iPhone Siri always assumes the person is the owner.

Ho, one more, (3) The HomePod's microphone is VERY good and can pick up a voice from across the room even while playing the music loudly.

Does this matter? It depends on your use case.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
T
trip1ex
14 months ago
lol square ipad glued onto a homepod. fuglyrama.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
MacFan23
14 months ago

i really don’t understand the point of this device. aren’t we all already carrying around an iphone plenty capable of controlling our smart home accessories, making facetime calls, and more?
Kids, guests, display for things like timers while cooking, doorbell, time, photo frame, request based on room context. It's just a dedicated device, achieves the same thing as other devices but in a different way, the same way a MacBook does most of what an iPad does, but you might still buy and iPad for the form factor. The same way an iPhone does most of what an Apple Watch does, but you might still want an Apple Watch for the convenience off accessing things from your wrist.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
jz0309
14 months ago

Apple originally planned to unveil the home hub in March 2025 ('https://www.macrumors.com/2024/11/12/apple-home-command-center-march-2025/'), but the device's launch was reportedly postponed ('https://www.macrumors.com/2025/03/09/apple-smart-home-hub-postponed/') as a result of Apple delaying its personalized Siri features ('https://www.macrumors.com/2025/03/07/apple-intelligence-siri-features-delayed/').
Apple never said anything about this device, it was Gurman who guessed it would launch in March 2025…
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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