Apple is rumored to be working on a sort of iPad-like smart display that will serve as a home hub for controlling your HomeKit and Matter devices. We've been hearing rumors about the device for the last couple of years, and now there's some new information about its potential design.
Called the "HomeAccessory" internally, the upcoming smart home device has a "squarish display," according to 9to5Mac. The square display would make the product distinct from an iPad, which has a more rectangular display. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has previously described the smart home hub as "iPad-like" with features adopted from the iPad, HomePod, and the Apple TV, but he's also described a separate HomePod with a screen, which seems to be simpler.
9to5Mac claims it is unclear whether the square design will make it into the final product, which also seems to have a built-in camera for FaceTime. The device includes a camera that is able to identify hand gestures from afar, and it can tell one person apart from another for personalized requests. While it can run apps and play media like the Apple TV, it will also serve as an AirPlay receiver like the HomePod.
MacRumors spotted signs of the HomeAccessory in Apple's backend code earlier this year. It is a product that is distinct from Apple's other home devices, the Apple TV and the HomePod. It seems to run a variant of tvOS much like the HomePod, and the test version we've seen described is equipped with an A18 chip, so there is a possibility that it might not be too far off from launching.
With an A18 chip or later, Apple's smart home product would be able to run Apple Intelligence features, and it would support the smarter Siri that Apple plans to introduce in 2025. Prior rumors have said that it will debut in 2025 at the earliest, and 9to5Mac says it could come next spring.
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent.
A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past.
The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
Saturday March 29, 2025 10:15 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect.
The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design.
It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information.
Relocated Charging Port
While the Magic Mouse switched from...
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect.
There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the...
We've been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We're going to be waiting many more months for the foldable iPhone, but so far we're hearing good things.
Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable iPhone that it's satisfied with because Apple ...
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...
I would love to see this as an add on for my iPad. Just the base with a magnetic iPad holder that offers power like the Magic Keyboard. Maybe auto connect to a speaker inside the base.