Apple’s highly anticipated smart home hub has been delayed until 2026, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The iPad-like device, designed to control smart home gadgets similar to Google Nest or Amazon Echo speakers, was originally targeted for a March 2025 release but now faces a significant postponement tied to delays in Apple’s AI-powered Siri upgrade.
What you should know: The smart home hub’s delay is directly connected to Apple’s broader AI strategy and Siri overhaul.
- Apple delayed its Siri upgrade back in March, with the smart home hub reportedly reliant on many of those new AI features to function properly.
- The new AI-powered Siri was originally planned for iOS 18.4 but Apple confirmed in June it wouldn’t launch until sometime in 2026.
- Gurman noted that launching the smart home hub without an AI-infused Siri could have resulted in “flat” functionality.
The big picture: Apple’s smart home ambitions are becoming increasingly intertwined with its artificial intelligence capabilities.
- The delayed Siri features would allow the voice assistant to “tap into personal data to fulfill queries and take advantage of the information on a user’s screen.”
- Apple is also planning a refresh of its App Intents framework, which helps apps integrate with system experiences like Siri, Focus, and Spotlight.
- This upgrade would “allow Siri to more precisely control applications and functions,” according to Gurman’s sources.
What they’re saying: Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman expressed low expectations for a 2025 launch in his Power On newsletter.
- “I have little to no expectation that the product will arrive this year. Instead, I’d expect it in 2026 — around the same time the new Siri finally launches.”
- His sources indicate there’s an additional reason for the delay beyond Siri, though it remains tied to the voice assistant.
Meanwhile: Gurman also predicted the iPhone 17 series could launch on September 9, 2025, with Apple likely hosting its next launch event during the week of September 8.
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