For two years, rumors that Apple is working on a new home accessory combining the capabilities of an iPad, an Apple TV and a HomePod have only continued. This summer, the first references to a “HomeAccessory” were found in Apple’s internal code. Now, our friends at 9to5Mac have shared some of the device’s specs.
A HomePod like no other
According to our sources colleaguesTHE “HomeAccessory” disclosed is indeed the new smart accessory for the home from Apple. With its code name J490this brand new product will be powered by the A18 chip, probably to support Apple Intelligence features (which will not be available on current HomePods, see Apple AI-enabled devices).
If we did not doubt for a moment that Tim Cook would adorn a new device with the intelligent capabilities highlighted in recent months, on the other hand the form of the design could surprise us. While we were expecting an iPad mounted on a base, today’s information points to a 1:1 format screen, or a square.
Interestingly, our sources tell us that the HomeAccessory device, in its current state, has a square-shaped screen, rather than a rectangular format like that of the iPad. It is still uncertain whether this square format will be retained in the final version of the product. The HomeAccessory also has a built-in camera compatible with FaceTime and other video conferencing apps.
The FaceTime camera is obviously not a surprise, the future competitor to the Amazon Echo and Google Home is mainly designed for video. But, based on its experience with the Vision Pro, Apple reportedly plans to use the camera to identify hand gestures remotely, which could be useful for controlling it in situations like in the kitchen, for example. The camera can even identify the user in front of the device to enable “personal requests”, similar to how the HomePod recognizes different voices.
A real Apple product
With all its components, the future home accessory looks like an Apple TV with a screen. And for good reason, the “HomeAccessory” can run apps and play media standalone, but it will also work as an AirPlay receiver. The system has a customizable lock screen with multiple clocks, similar to those added to the Apple TV with tvOS 18. We had moreover mentioned a new lock screen compatible with a touch screen hidden in the beta version of tvOS.
It remains to be seen what it will be named. We imagine that it will be in the “HomePod” range, Apple would not necessarily have an interest in adding a new nomenclature. As for the release, rumors speak of a spring 2025 launch.
Can you believe it will be a success? We’re not yet convinced…
