Apple is reportedly preparing to launch a long-rumoured "HomePod with a screen" smart home hub, possibly as soon as October, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The device, unofficially dubbed "HomePad", would put Apple in direct competition with existing smart displays such as the Google Nest Hub Mini and Amazon's Echo Show, an area where Apple has so far relied largely on third-party accessories rather than its own hardware.

The hub is said to feature a 7-inch square display running a new operating system based on tvOS, with an icon-and-widget layout similar to iOS and watchOS, and will reportedly be built around Apple's revamped Siri AI. It is expected to support video calling, security monitoring and intercom communication with other Apple Home devices, and to personalise its interface automatically depending on who is using it. The launch was reportedly originally planned for spring 2025 but was delayed alongside Apple's AI-enhanced Siri, and is now expected to coincide with iOS 27; Gurman says Apple is also readying a high-end security camera, a new Apple TV and a new HomePod mini, with an announcement expected between October and early next year, though further delays remain possible.