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.
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.
