Apple has announced a special product event for October 13 titled Welcome Home, where the company is expected to unveil a long-awaited smart home hub with a screen, an updated Apple TV, and a refreshed HomePod mini powered by Siri AI.
Apple indicated its upcoming plans on Thursday by releasing a video featuring someone embroidering the company’s multi-colored logo alongside the caption Welcome home
. The invitation points to an event scheduled for next Tuesday at 9 a.m. Washington time (5 p.m. GST), with some members of the media invited to an Apple Experience
set to take place in Tribeca, New York, where attendees will get hands-on time with the hardware.
Apple Prepares New Smart Home Hub With Square Touchscreen
The flagship announcement of the gathering is widely anticipated to be a dedicated smart home hub, referred to by some observers as the HomePad. The device is expected to feature a square touchscreen attached to a speaker base resembling the iMac G4, drawing AC power through USB-C with no built-in battery.
Industry analysts and reports indicate the hub will support apps, widgets, and photo slideshows from iCloud. A front-facing camera and presence sensor will detect when a person enters the room, utilizing facial and voice recognition to identify household members and display personalized information. As Cult of Mac noted, Apple reportedly plans to use facial and voice recognition to identify people in the home, allowing the device to provide personalized information and responses based on the user’s account
. While facial recognition will provide personalization, it will be less reliable than Face ID, requiring confirmation or fallback authentication through an iPhone for sensitive actions.
Apple has confirmed that it will be holding a second fall event on October 13, 2026. The broadcast will likely consist of a video filmed at Apple Park and made available via the Apple TV app, YouTube, and the Apple Event website. Unlike standard public keynotes such as the September 9 presentation—where the firm debuted the iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, Watch Series 12, Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5—this gathering is structured differently. A published report on Wednesday suggests the upcoming hardware could finally serve as Apple’s counter to established options like Google’s Nest Hub and Amazon’s Echo Show. Apple Home also supports facial recognition through its compatible HomeKit Secure Video cameras and doorbells.
HomePod Mini and Apple TV Get Processor and AI Updates
Alongside the new display-equipped hub, Apple is preparing updates to its existing audio and set-top box lineups. The HomePod mini is slated for a refresh that retains its current physical design while adding new color options, an N1 networking chip for improved Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and a faster S-series processor.
The updated smart speaker and the new Apple TV 4K will integrate Apple Intelligence and a more capable Siri at the core of their systems. According to reports, the upgrade addresses the primary flaw of the original smart speaker, where the voice assistant frequently struggles to perform basic actions, requires precise phrasing, and instructs users to check their iPhones for complex answers
.
Meanwhile, the Apple TV 4K is expected to receive an A19 or A19 Pro chip, a RAM upgrade, the N1 networking chip, and an upgraded Siri Remote, maintaining its capability to act as a Matter controller and Thread border router for connected accessories. Apple is also said to be launching a new version of the Apple TV.
“The upcoming display-based device could become a central interface for controlling smart-home products, accessing content and services, and interacting with Apple’s AI capabilities, potentially giving Apple a stronger foothold in the smart-home ecosystem.”
Anshika Jain, principal analyst at Counterpoint
Apple Partners With LG Electronics on Security Cameras and Doorbells
Beyond its proprietary devices, Apple has reportedly collaborated with LG Electronics to co-develop a broad suite of smart home hardware. Bloomberg reports that Apple and LG are collaborating to design a lineup of smart home devices that encompasses video doorbells, smart locks, thermostats, and indoor, outdoor, and floodlight cameras. Filings from UL Solutions and the Federal Communications Commission detail hardware releases including a video doorbell, a smart thermostat, indoor and outdoor security cameras, a floodlight camera, and a smart deadbolt lock.
While Apple guided the engineering and design, the hardware will carry LG’s branding, with the South Korean electronics manufacturer handling production, distribution, and ongoing customer support. The strategy mirrors previous collaborations with companies like Belkin and Logitech, allowing Apple to rapidly expand its compatible ecosystem without taking on direct manufacturing expenses. The accessories will support open protocols including Matter, Thread, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, with the smart deadbolt utilizing ultra-wideband technology to enable automatic unlocking as an authorized user approaches.
Analysts Link Smart Home Push to Potential Services Revenue Growth
The ambitious product rollout marks a formal overhaul of Apple’s HomeKit platform, which was launched in 2014 but struggled to capture market share against established offerings from Amazon’s Ring and Google Nest. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives noted that Apple’s artificial intelligence strategy and ecosystem expansion could drive device upgrades and boost services revenue, estimating that AI could eventually account for more than 15% of Services revenue while adding approximately $75 per share to the company’s valuation.
Counterpoint’s Anshika Jain pointed out that she does not necessarily expect the refreshed HomePod to be an initial hit.