Apple’s long-rumored smart home accessory, sometimes dubbed the HomePad, has just become a little more real.
Macworld was able to obtain “leaked internal Apple code,” finding several references to the new gadget (no reference to its name, though, but HomePad does have a nice ring to it.)
In a pre-release iOS 26 build, this smart home hub is referenced by the codename J490. It’s listed as having Apple’s A18 chip inside, as well as a front-facing, ultra-wide camera with Center Stage. The camera will be limited to 1080p video, similar to the cameras on iPads and Macs.
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Perhaps more notably, the device will also have Face ID biometrics, which could be used to recognize users and set profiles depending on who’s interacting with the device.
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Apple Intelligence will also be on board, and this includes a more advanced version of Siri which can keep up a natural conversation with the user.
The device is listed as coming in 2026; previous rumors pointed to a possible launch next spring.
Macworld said they were able to find references to another, “never-before-seen” smart home product, codenamed J229. Details are slim on this one, besides it having multiple sensors, a built-in camera. Notably, it’s not identified as a standalone device but an accessory.
A few months ago, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote that Apple is working on an in-home security camera that’s designed to work together with the smart home hub, as well as a smart doorbell with facial recognition. The mysterious new device could be one of these, though it’s probably coming later; the end of next year “at the soonest,” Gurman wrote.
