Apple may launch its first smart home hub at an October 13 event, report says

Until now, people have relied on Amazon's Alexa and Google's Home for smart devices at home. Apple is now preparing to enter the field. According to a report, Apple will bring its first smart home hub to market in October. A new HomePod Mini and an Apple TV 4K are also said to be coming with it.

Apple has not yet officially confirmed this. Mark Gurman, a US journalist who follows Apple closely, said Apple could hold a major launch event on October 13. The event would be dedicated to the smart home.

The main attraction would be Apple's first smart home hub, which the company has code-named J490. According to the report, it will have a round base and a 6-inch or 7-inch square touchscreen on top. It will look like a tablet and can be placed on a table. It will carry the same Apple A18 chip as the iPhone 16, so the hub is expected to run very fast. Users will be able to use AI-powered Siri and make FaceTime calls on it. A camera is provided at the front.

The hub will come in two versions. One model will be meant for a tabletop and will have a speaker. The other will be wall-mounted.

The first HomePod Mini arrived in 2020 and went without any update for six years. An updated version is now coming in 2026. It will have a new chipset and support for Siri AI, making it smarter. Apple's own N1 networking chip will provide Wi-Fi 7 support and much faster internet. A second-generation Ultra Wideband chip will also be included.

The Apple TV 4K will also get an update. A new chip and Siri AI are coming to it as well, which should improve the TV experience. The event will focus only on the Mini and the TV.

John Ternus took charge at Apple on September 1. This would be the second launch event under his leadership. Overall, Apple now wants to make the home smart too. If the hub arrives, it could pose a serious challenge to Amazon and Google. What happens on October 13 remains to be seen.