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Apple's New Smart Home Hub Revealed
28 Jul
Summary
- Apple's first smart home hub with a 7-inch screen is launching soon.
- The hub will feature facial recognition for personalized displays.
- New Siri AI with a large language model powers the device.
Apple is reportedly preparing to launch its long-anticipated smart home push, with new hardware expected as early as this fall and continuing into early next year.
The centerpiece of this launch is anticipated to be Apple's first smart home hub, a Siri-powered device featuring a 7-inch screen. This hub is expected to run software reminiscent of watchOS and iOS, offering features such as FaceTime, home security monitoring, and an intercom function. A standout capability will be facial recognition, enabling the hub to identify users and customize displays with personal calendars, notifications, and adjustable text sizes.
Two versions of the smart home hub are planned: one resembling a "HomePod Mini cut in half," and another designed for wall mounting. Alongside the hub, Apple is also expected to release an updated HomePod Mini and a new Apple TV set-top box. Both will feature improved processors to support the enhanced Siri AI capabilities.
The successful integration of Siri AI, which received significant development time, is crucial for the smart home hub's functionality. Initial reviews suggest that the delays in Siri's enhancement have been beneficial, leading to cautiously optimistic expectations for Apple's new smart home ecosystem.
