Apple’s long-rumoured smart home hub could finally arrive as early as next month, sporting a square display, face recognition and a smarter, AI-powered Siri, according to reports.

The device would mark Apple’s most serious push yet into the smart home, a category where Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Nest ranges have long dominated.

What to expect

Reports suggest the hub will centre on a square touchscreen designed to sit on a kitchen counter or bedside table, acting as a command centre for the connected home. Face recognition could allow it to identify who is looking at the screen and personalise responses, calendars and music accordingly.

The biggest upgrade may be invisible: a far more capable Siri, rebuilt with modern AI. Apple has been overhauling its voice assistant as part of its broader Apple Intelligence push, and the hub is expected to showcase just how conversational Siri has become.

Deep integration with HomeKit would let users control lights, locks, cameras and thermostats by voice or touch, while features like video calling and smart photo displays could round out the package.

Why Apple wants your living room

The smart home is one of the few major consumer tech battlegrounds where Apple remains a bit player. A first-party hub would give the company a persistent presence in the home, driving usage of Apple Music, Apple TV and its services.

It would also arrive as competition intensifies. Amazon and Google keep refreshing their displays with better AI assistants of their own, so Apple will need the hub to feel unmistakably premium to justify its expected price.

If the reports hold, next month could finally answer a question Apple watchers have asked for years: what does the iPhone maker think the smart home should look like?

The Siri factor

A smarter Siri is central to Apple’s plan. The assistant, long criticised for lagging rivals, is being rebuilt to handle complex, multi-step requests and to understand personal context across apps. A home hub that hears the whole household would be its most demanding showcase yet.